The widespread use of Internet technology has made our lives easier but causes a big challenge to senior citizens (长者), who are not always comfortable with smartphones and so many new apps.
Only a few senior citizens are able to enjoy the benefits that new technologies offer. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the number of people aged 60 and above was 253.88 million in 2019, about 18.1% of China's population. But only 23% of the senior citizens were able to use the Internet. That means more than three-fourths of the elderly are deprived (被剥夺) of the digital benefits.
Many senior citizens who can't use smartphones are facing difficulties during this pandemic (流行病). Even with a smartphone in hand and Internet available, many of them still feel helpless. They don't know how to call a taxi through the apps. There have been reports of many shops turning away elders who don't know how to pay using smartphones, instead of letting them pay with cash. Worse still, as they don't know how to get the Internet-based health code (健康码), they are refused to enter many public places. Presenting individual health code is part of the epidemic prevention (防疫) and control measures
New technologies become popular because they are often of great use in our daily lives. But many senior citizens, especially those living in the countryside or those whose grown-up children don't live with them, are not able to use the Internet or smartphones，either because of financial (财政的) problems or because they cannot learn new things beyond a certain point. The digital gap between the elderly and the young is becoming more obvious.
However, the senior citizens should not become a silent group deprived of digital benefits. It is our responsibility to help them bridge the digital gap, and be patient with them when they face difficulties catching up.
C . Three fourths of the elders are unwilling to use smartphones.
D . Many elders fail to enjoy the convenience of the digital devices.
