Perceptions and attitudes of spanish “Digital Seniors” towards e-government

Abstract

A typology of user was explored as to behaviour and perception of e-government through a telephone survey involving 405 internet users between 60 and 79 years of age. Ten different groups were identified by means of dimensionality reduction techniques followed by a cluster analysis. The main conclusion is that there is no consistent pattern, although among the groups which do use e-government they have less concerns than the rest and see less need for modifications to be applied to adapt the websites to the needs of seniors. Within this older age group, two types are clearly identified: those who feel uncomfortable, which explains their avoidance of e-government, and to a lesser degree those whose lack of contact with public administration may be due to a lack of interest for such services. It appears that a senior-friendly offering together with learning opportunities would increase interest for this channel.