Seniors and the Internet

Susannah FoxAssociate DirectorPew Internet Project

November 14, 2006

November 14, 2006 2Seniors and the Internet

Share of Americans online by age(Source: Pew Internet Project telephone surveys, 2000-2006)

Internet Access, 2000-2006

85%80%

69%

31%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Age 18-29 Age 30-49 Age 50-64 Age 65+

November 14, 2006 3Seniors and the Internet

U.S. population projections, 2000-2016 (Source: Frederick W. Hollmann, Population Projections Branch, U.S. Census Bureau)

Total Population, Age Under 50 years, 50-64, and 65 and Over, Relative to 2006

80

90

100

110

120

130

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Year

Rel

ativ

e po

pula

tion Total

Under 50

50 to 64

65 and over

November 14, 2006 4Seniors and the Internet

Health information online (Source: Pew Internet: August 2006 telephone survey, N=2,928)

80

64

51

49

44

37

13

68

54

40

29

24

30

22

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

At least one of the 17 topics

Specific disease or medicalproblem

Certain medical treatmentsor procedures

Diet, nutrition, vitamins, ornutritional supplements

Exercise or fitness

Prescription or over-the-counter drugs

Medicare or MedicaidInternet users age 65+

All internet users

November 14, 2006 5Seniors and the Internet

Internet activities: Gen Y vs. Gen X vs. Boomers(Source: Pew Internet: Project surveys 2005-6)

• Email (87% vs. 94% vs. 86%)• Buy a product (74% vs. 77% vs. 66%)• Travel reservations (60% vs. 71% vs.

59%)• Bank online (38% vs. 50% vs. 37%)• Financial research (29% vs. 47% vs.

43%)

November 14, 2006 6Seniors and the Internet

Sources

• Pew Internet Project: Online Health Search 2006 http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/190/report_display.asp

• Pew Internet Project: Generations Online http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/170/report_display.asp

• Frederick W. Hollmann, Population Projections Branch, U.S. Census Bureau: presentation at the Federal Trade Commission Public Hearings on Protecting Consumers in the Next Tech-Ade http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/workshops/techade/pdfs/presentations/hollmann.pdf