Digital ageism: A new kind of discrimination

Abstract

Many older people find it difficult to navigate the digital sphere and to use online services. The aim of the present study was to examine the extent to which user experience (UX) experts, who are entrusted with making websites and online services accessible, are aware of the unique needs of older users and whether they possess the appropriate resources and training. The research data were collected through 28 semi-structured in-depth interviews with UX practitioners, teachers, and researchers. The findings revealed two aspects of ageism: individual and organizational. At the individual level, ageism is expressed in a lack of awareness and understanding of the unique needs and difficulties of older users in the digital space. At the organizational level, ageism is manifested, among other things, in the lack of in-depth research among older users and the lack of appropriate training in characterizing older users. The result is digital ageism.

Control Matters in Elder Care Technology: Evidence and Direction for Designing It In

“…As others have pointed out, this is on the one hand unsurprising given the rampant, hidden nature of ageism that manifests in disregard for the need to examine the needs of older adults in technological designs. While the digital divide has been foregrounded in gerontechnology for decades, the concept of “digital ageism” has entered the lexicon, motivated by the discourse on AI harms, particularly regarding race and gender bias [ 32 , 92 ]. Digital ageism is a result of the youth-centricity of design and technology industries and the often unquestioned stereotypical representation of older adults and old age that permeates many aspects of U.S. cultures [ 32 , 92 , 126 , 139 ].…”

“…While the digital divide has been foregrounded in gerontechnology for decades, the concept of “digital ageism” has entered the lexicon, motivated by the discourse on AI harms, particularly regarding race and gender bias [ 32 , 92 ]. Digital ageism is a result of the youth-centricity of design and technology industries and the often unquestioned stereotypical representation of older adults and old age that permeates many aspects of U.S. cultures [ 32 , 92 , 126 , 139 ]. The hidden nature of ageism in the context of limited resources, ethics oversight, and regulation, makes it all the more important for design to foreground issues of power and control.…”

Invisible in the smart city: Using participatory design methods for age-friendly solutions

“…As Rosales and Fernández-Ardèvol (2019) argue the algorithms are used to disguise that corporations are insufficiently prepared to either provide the expected user experience to those digitally unskilled users or for unexpected users and uses. Manor and Herscovici (2021) coined this specific type of ageism: "Digital Ageism" and it manifested in stereotyping and disregarding older adults' actual needs in interviews with user experience experts. This group is responsible for ensuring the accessibility of applications and websites.…”

Older Adults’ Perspectives of Smart Technologies to Support Aging at Home: Insights from Five World Café Forums

“…To date, the design and implementation of smart technologies for the proposed benefit of older people has occurred with little consultation with either the organizations working in the sector, or with older people themselves [9,10]. This may mean that the social and ethical challenges that these technologies create for an older population are neither given appropriate attention nor carefully integrated with the values and needs of the users.…”

“…The gap between internet access and actual use likely reflects the view that older people find new technologies overwhelming [8] and "changing so fast it is difficult to keep up with it" (p. 9) [14]. This raises concerns about a digital divide and what Manor and Herscovici term 'digital ageism' [9].…”