Different paths and same destinations? An analysis of the convergence in Internet usage patterns between different age groups

Abstract

The present article delves into the understanding of the digital gap that divides the younger age groups from those who are older, specifically the young (17‐30), adults (31‐45), mature adults (46‐60), and older adults (61‐75). The analysis carried out in three capital cities of Latin America (Buenos Aires, Lima, and Guatemala City) finds that there is a pattern of convergence in the trajectory of Internet appropriation of users belonging to different age groups. However, the gap between the younger groups and the older group does not close completely, even after several years of experience using the Internet. Likewise, it is observed that the adoption of more sophisticated activities on the Internet is conditioned by characteristics specific to each age group.