
Monthly active senior users of leading e-commerce apps in China 2022
China's seniors' online activities
China's elderly are becoming more internet savvy. This is largely due to increasing disposable incomes and the availability of digital devices. According to estimates, by 2025, half of the older Chinese adults will have access to the internet. The smartphone remains the preferred device among China's older netizens, with 99.5 percent of them using it. In 2021, the elderly spent on average more than four hours online. Instant messaging, e-commerce, and short-video streaming were the most favorite online activities among China's silver-haired mobile users.
Barriers and risks for China's senior internet users
Nevertheless, China's elderly still faces various barriers and risks when conducting online activities. On the one hand, many of them lack the technological knowledge to use a comprehensive app. On the other hand, the older generation often fell to be victims of fraudulent activities, such as phishing or malware. According to a survey in 2021, more than 90 percent of middle-aged and senior respondents considered personal information leakage as their biggest concern. Also, three-fourths of the respondents were afraid of bank card theft.