Silver surfers 'use web for email'
Silver surfers 'use web for email'
(Wednesday, 5th September 2007)
The majority of internet users aged 60 and over have only ever used the net for email, according to a new survey.
A study of over 500 web surfers for ISP Pipex found that 70 per cent of over-60s use the web for email, while only seven per cent had downloaded music, compared to 84 per cent of 16 to 20-year-olds who download music.
In contrast to so-called 'silver surfers', over three-quarters of under-30s regularly visit social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook. When asked what they would like from the internet, younger people wanted to be able to order takeaways while more than 70 per cent of over-60s said they would like to be able to make medical appointments online, PC Pro reports.
Dominic Crolla, managing director of Pipex, said: "Broadband has become an integral part of everyday life - be it keeping in touch with family and friends via the more traditional forms of online communication or through social networking sites."
A recent report by industry regulator Ofcom found that 16 per cent of over-65s use the internet regularly.
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