Multidimensional digital vulnerability among older adults

Access to digital devices and knowledge of how to use them is crucial today. This study is about older adults (aged 65+) who lack experience with digital devices yet still feel compelled to use them in their everyday lives. They face various challenges when using their devices and often do not know how to address them, making them digitally vulnerable. In this study, I address the tension in the ongoing interaction between an increasingly digitalised society and individuals hindered rather than helped by digital technology. Using qualitative interviews and participatory observations with 25 Norwegians over 65 years old provides valuable insights into the everyday experience of struggling to keep up with societal digital advancements. This study highlights the real-life experiences of older adults and identifies their digital vulnerability across various dimensions: material, spatial, social, and privacy-related. Moreover, the research expands on existing literature by including analogue circumstances and agency.