Old citizens, new logics: Digital literacy and elderly citizens in Denmark

Old citizens, new logics: Digital literacy and elderly citizens in Denmark Many my age have problems with IT. We are now reasonably informed and we have had computers for many years but our competences are still not tiptop and that is definitely a problem. This 79-year old man talks about the challenges he encounters with mastering IT in general and NemID in particular. NemID is the Danish, digital system for interaction between public institutions and citizens. The system was implemented by law in December 2015. The paper focuses on the relation between age, digitization, and citizen self-perception. What are the opportunities and challenges that elderly citizens experience when they meet digital systems? The majority of Danish senior citizens use digital opportunities in their everyday life; they are online and they use NemID. To varying degrees, however, elderly citizens experience challenges of becoming competent with new technologies and digital formats, and with the underlying logics of new systems. The challenges are practical in terms of learning the practices but also psychological in the sense that it may notch the self-respect and citizen self-perception if you cannot manage your own citizenship. Empirically the paper is based on findings from a study of media literacy in a Danish context , conducted in 2014-15. The data was collected during visits with 40 citizens in 20 families across Denmark. Five families were elderly. The analysis is supported by data from Statistics Denmark and The Danage Association. Theoretically, the article discusses definitions of digital literacy respectively digital citizenship; and it draws on theories on mediatization, media ecologies, and digital governance. REFERENCES (selected) Borchorst, D.S. et al (2016). ”Digitalisering af ældre menneskers hverdag - Et anliggende for frivillige?” Gerontologi, 2016, Vol 32, Issue 1, p. 4-7 Clark, L., K. Lundby (2008). “Mediatization: Concept, Changes, Consequences”. New York: Peter Lang, 83-98 Drotner, K., & Erstad, O. (2014). “Inclusive Media Literacies: Interlacing Media Studies and Education Stud-ies”. International Journal of Learning and Media, 4(2), 19-34 Helsper, E (2013). Digital Inclusion: an analysis of social disadvantage and the information society. Department for Communities and Local Government, London, UK. http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/26938/ Jensen, K.B. & R. Helles (2015): Specialrapport. Danskernes mediebrug 2014 – hverdag og demokrati. Lunt, P. & S. Livingstone (2011). Media regulation: Governance and the interests of citizens and consum-ers. London: Sage. Malmborg, L. et al. (2016). “Mobilizing Senior Citizens in CoDesign of Mobile Technology”. International Journal of Mobile Human Computer Interaction Volume 8, Issue 4, October-December 2016 Stald, G. & M. Hjelholt, L. Høvsgaard (2015): Media Literacy i en dansk kontekst. Rapport. http://slks.dk/mediernes-udvikling-2015/specialrapporter/media-literacy-i-en-dansk-kontekst/ Stald-Bolow, N.R. & L. Malmborg, E. Brandt, M. Foverskov (2015). Everyday Ageing in Copenhagen. In Yanki Lee, Y. & P. Moore (Eds.) Ageing, Ingenuity & Design. DESIS Network: http://www.hkdi.desislab.vtc.edu.hk/