Older People's Attitudes toward the Internet in Denmark and China

This study examines and compares older Danes’and older Chinese’s attitudes toward the Internet.Semi-structured,open-ended interviews were conducted among 32 older participants,which contain 15 computer users and 17 non-users.Major findings include:first,both older Danes and older Chinese agree that using the Internet is a sign of keeping up with the times and a way to keep their minds active.Second,older Chinese Internet non-users regard the Internet as a symbol of high-level economic and social status,while older Danish Internet non-users perceive the Internet as an everyday activity no matter what their status is.Third,for older Danish Internet users,using the Internet is a daily activity and it has no influence on participating in other social events;however,for older Chinese Internet users,they may tend to reduce the time they spend on other activities,especially at the beginning of learning how to use the Internet.