With the “Digital Angel” project, the association “Deutschland sicher im Netz e.V.” supports older people in the use of digital services - in everyday life, personally and locally. The project raises awareness of the opportunities and dangers of the digital world through face-to-face and online trainings. The project is a partner of our current campaign against disinformation - “Let's question what we share” - of the Telekom initiative #NoHateSpeech.
Booking tickets via internet, online-banking, communicating via messenger - the digital world offers many opportunities. But not everyone benefits from it. Some people feel overwhelmed because they are not confident using smartphones and the internet. Digitalization poses major challenges for older people in particular, as they have not grown up with digital technologies like younger generations.
According to the latest D21 Digital Index, only 30 percent of over-60s rate their digital skills as good or very good. In the age group 65 to 74, around 15 percent have never used the internet (Source: Federal Statistical Office).
The project Digital Angel has set itself the task of showing older people how to use digital services safely and helping them take their first steps into the digital world. Katharina Kunze, project manager of the Digital Angel, explains: “Being involved - that means being able to use the countless possibilities of the Internet competently, safely and, above all, in a self-determined way. Many older people feel insecure when dealing with digital technologies or phenomena such as disinformation. This is where we come in and offer support.”
The Digital Angel offers a wide range of media literacy services for older people, but also for people close to them, such as children, grandchildren, neighbors. An important part of the project is the mobile consulting approach: the team travels throughout Germany in two tour buses to present digital services in face-to-face meetings, answer specific questions and dispel fears. The initiative cooperates with local partners such as senior citizens' advisory councils, multi-generational houses and local authorities.
“The opportunity to ask questions in person and look at a tablet or smartphone together is very helpful for older people. The personal advisory approach is the best way for people who have great reservations about the Internet. The demand for our services is enormous, especially in rural areas - this shows that there is a need for personal advice,” says Katharina Kunze.
Disinformation: special focus
An important aspect is education about disinformation. In special events and with extensive materials, the Digital Angel shows how disinformation arises, how it spreads and how it can be exposed.
“Anyone who reads and watches news online or receives it via WhatsApp needs a healthy degree of skepticism. We encourage older people to take a critical approach to information online, especially when content and topics are highly emotionalized. We are pleased to be a partner of the current Telekom campaign and to actively contribute to raising awareness. Preventing the spread of disinformation and questioning oneself when forwarding news also means strengthening trust in digital communication. Access to reliable information in the digital world is crucial to promoting an informed society and protecting our democracy,” explains Katharina Kunze.
Discussing current issues with family, friends and acquaintances can help to broaden people's perspectives. It is also helpful to engage with different perspectives and question one's own opinion.
Shaping digital participation together
The Digital Angel project team also recommends more personal interaction to enable older people to access the digital world. “Each of us can help older people to navigate the digital world more safely and confidently,” says Katharina Kunze. It is often the little things that make a big difference. “We encourage family members, especially children and grandchildren, to be patient and support their older relatives in using digital devices. This is an important contribution to digital inclusion, which ultimately enriches society as a whole.”
Offers from the Digital Angel
- Topic dossier “Informed on the net? But safely!": Comprehensive information and materials on the topic of disinformation. Get more information
- Tourenplan der Infomobile: The buses will be touring NRW and Schleswig-Holstein up to and including September 2024, e.g. on September 12 in Hanover.
From October - December 2024, the two buses will tour Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia and Saxony. Find events near you - Online events: "Fake news, misinformation, disinformation - who can see through it”.
Wednesday, November 20, 2024, 10:00 - 12:00 am. Details and dial-in here
Interested in other online offers? Here is an overview of regular, free events on digital topics, including “Disinformation”. Find out more - Digitaler Engel TV: Short explanatory videos on various digitalization topics such as the app store, cloud, disinformation, social networks and many more available online. Get more information
- Online training courses for people, who wants to train others: Free learning opportunities for people from the personal environment of older people who would like to pass on their knowledge. Find out more
About the association Deutschland sicher im Netz e.V.
Digital Angel is a project of Deutschland sicher im Netz e.V. (DsiN) and is funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. Deutschland sicher im Netz e.V. (DsiN) was founded in 2006 as an association at the first National IT Summit (today: Digital Summit). As a non-profit alliance, DsiN supports consumers and smaller companies in dealing with the digital world safely and confidently. To achieve this, DsiN works with members and partners to provide concrete assistance as well as hands-on and learning opportunities for people in their private and professional lives.
