Silver Surfers in the United Kingdom

Each year the United Kingdom hosts ‘Silver Surfers’ Day’ which aims to support introducing more people over the age of 50 to the benefits of using the internet and email.

Two polls that were included in the day demonstrated that more than half of people over 55 online in the United Kingdom, consider technologies like the Internet vital to their lives.

Some interesting views and statistics of the United Kingdom have come into light from Silver Surfers’ Day. The research was conducted by Hewlett Packard and the Independent Consumer Panel for the United Kingdom:

• Technology is viewed as potentially playing a crucial role in health matters for people
• Two-thirds of all age groups say technology has a positive influence on their lives
• 58% of over - 65s said technology made life better
• Half of over - 50s said life without the net was unimaginable.
• 43% search for long-lost or distant friends and family
• Some older and lower income people felt alienated from digital life.

Computers and the Internet have been able to connect people from all over the world, and one user of the internet said:

"Not only can I keep in regular contact with friends and relatives in Australia and America. But I've had the opportunity to make new ones and rediscover old school friends, one of whom I hadn't had contact with in over 30 years"

If you would like to read more about technology use across the age groups in the United Kingdom, BBC News has a full report.