Spatiotemporal characteristics of ICT use among Chinese older adults : a case study of Tianjin
In the landscape of smart city development, older adults in China have often been overlooked due to their limited digital presence and the reliance on big data by city planners. This study addresses this gap by employing a time-geographic diary survey and semi-structured interviews to explore the sp...
সংরক্ষণ করুন:
| প্রকাশিত: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/netcom, |
|---|---|
| প্রধান লেখক: | , |
| বিন্যাস: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| প্রকাশিত: |
Netcom
2025
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| বিষয়গুলি: | |
| অনলাইন ব্যবহার করুন: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| id |
openedition-oai:revues.org:netcom_9392 |
|---|---|
| record_format |
openedition |
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OpenEdition Journal |
| format |
Article ou chapitre numérique |
| building |
0/Bibliothèque numérique/ 1/Bibliothèque numérique/OpenEdition Journals/ |
| topic |
Technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) ; personnes âgées ; géographie du temps ; ville intelligente ; vie quotidienne. Information and communication technologies (ICTs); older adults; time geography; smart city; everyday life. |
| spellingShingle |
Technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) ; personnes âgées ; géographie du temps ; ville intelligente ; vie quotidienne. Information and communication technologies (ICTs); older adults; time geography; smart city; everyday life. Yaqian, Mao Tomoko, Kubo Spatiotemporal characteristics of ICT use among Chinese older adults : a case study of Tianjin |
| description |
In the landscape of smart city development, older adults in China have often been overlooked due to their limited digital presence and the reliance on big data by city planners. This study addresses this gap by employing a time-geographic diary survey and semi-structured interviews to explore the spatiotemporal dynamics of ICT use among older adults during COVID-19 in Chinese urban context. The findings reveal that while the home remains central to ICT engagement, smartphones introduce hybrid activities that blur the boundaries between leisure and essential tasks. These activities demonstrate older adults' adaptability in balancing offline routines and digital interactions. Government-driven digital initiatives, such as health code systems, accelerated smartphone adoption during the pandemic. However, it was the assistance provided by cross-generational social networks, particularly family members, that played a pivotal role in sustaining older adults’ digital participation. The study also highlights how smartphone use, while enriching older adults' daily lives with increased connectivity and entertainment options, contributes to time fragmentation and new forms of dependency. By leveraging small data, this research sheds light on the overlooked everyday ICT practices of older adults, offering a geographic perspective that underscores their digital vulnerabilities within smart city environments. This study emphasizes that social dynamics, rather than technological infrastructure alone, shape older adults' digital experiences. While the findings are not exhaustive, they suggest practical strategies for policymakers and community organizations to enhance digital inclusion and address the specific challenges encountered by older adults, contributing to more supportive and inclusive smart city ecosystems. |
| author |
Yaqian, Mao Tomoko, Kubo |
| author_facet |
Yaqian, Mao Tomoko, Kubo |
| author_sort |
Yaqian, Mao |
| title |
Spatiotemporal characteristics of ICT use among Chinese older adults : a case study of Tianjin |
| title_short |
Spatiotemporal characteristics of ICT use among Chinese older adults : a case study of Tianjin |
| title_full |
Spatiotemporal characteristics of ICT use among Chinese older adults : a case study of Tianjin |
| title_fullStr |
Spatiotemporal characteristics of ICT use among Chinese older adults : a case study of Tianjin |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Spatiotemporal characteristics of ICT use among Chinese older adults : a case study of Tianjin |
| title_sort |
spatiotemporal characteristics of ict use among chinese older adults : a case study of tianjin |
| publisher |
Netcom |
| publishDate |
2025 |
| container_title |
URI:https://journals.openedition.org/netcom |
| url |
https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://doi.org/10.4000/13567 https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://journals.openedition.org/netcom/9392 |
| _version_ |
1877292127165087744 |
| spelling |
openedition-oai:revues.org:netcom_9392 https://doi.org/10.4000/13567 urn:doi:10.4000/13567 https://journals.openedition.org/netcom/9392 2025-02-11T01:00:00Z info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess article info:eu-repo/semantics/article urn:handle:20.500.13089/13567 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Spatiotemporal characteristics of ICT use among Chinese older adults : a case study of Tianjin Netcom Netcom Association info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/2431-210X info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/0987-6014 URI:https://journals.openedition.org/netcom Yaqian, Mao Tomoko, Kubo Technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) ; personnes âgées ; géographie du temps ; ville intelligente ; vie quotidienne. Information and communication technologies (ICTs); older adults; time geography; smart city; everyday life. In the landscape of smart city development, older adults in China have often been overlooked due to their limited digital presence and the reliance on big data by city planners. This study addresses this gap by employing a time-geographic diary survey and semi-structured interviews to explore the spatiotemporal dynamics of ICT use among older adults during COVID-19 in Chinese urban context. The findings reveal that while the home remains central to ICT engagement, smartphones introduce hybrid activities that blur the boundaries between leisure and essential tasks. These activities demonstrate older adults' adaptability in balancing offline routines and digital interactions. Government-driven digital initiatives, such as health code systems, accelerated smartphone adoption during the pandemic. However, it was the assistance provided by cross-generational social networks, particularly family members, that played a pivotal role in sustaining older adults’ digital participation. The study also highlights how smartphone use, while enriching older adults' daily lives with increased connectivity and entertainment options, contributes to time fragmentation and new forms of dependency. By leveraging small data, this research sheds light on the overlooked everyday ICT practices of older adults, offering a geographic perspective that underscores their digital vulnerabilities within smart city environments. This study emphasizes that social dynamics, rather than technological infrastructure alone, shape older adults' digital experiences. While the findings are not exhaustive, they suggest practical strategies for policymakers and community organizations to enhance digital inclusion and address the specific challenges encountered by older adults, contributing to more supportive and inclusive smart city ecosystems. Dans le contexte du développement des villes intelligentes, les personnes âgées en Chine ont souvent été négligées en raison de leur présence numérique limitée et de la dépendance des urbanistes aux mégadonnées. Cette étude comble cette lacune en utilisant une enquête sous forme de journal et des entretiens semi-directifs pour explorer la dynamique spatio-temporelle de l'utilisation des TIC chez les personnes âgées dans le contexte urbain chinois pendant le COVID-19. Les résultats révèlent que, bien que le domicile reste le principal lieu d’utilisation des TIC, les smartphones introduisent des activités hybrides brouillant les frontières entre loisirs et tâches essentielles. Ces activités illustrent l'adaptabilité des personnes âgées dans la gestion des routines hors ligne et des interactions numériques. Les initiatives numériques impulsées par le gouvernement, telles que les systèmes de codes sanitaires, ont accéléré l’adoption des smartphones durant la pandémie. Cependant, c’est l’assistance des réseaux sociaux intergénérationnels, en particulier des membres de la famille, qui a joué un rôle crucial dans le maintien de la participation numérique des personnes âgées. L'étude met également en lumière comment l'utilisation des smartphones, bien qu'enrichissant la vie quotidienne des personnes âgées grâce à une meilleure connectivité et des options de divertissement, contribue à la fragmentation du temps et à de nouvelles formes de dépendance. En exploitant des données qualitatives, cette recherche met en évidence les pratiques numériques quotidiennes souvent négligées des personnes âgées, offrant une perspective géographique qui souligne leur vulnérabilité numérique dans le contexte des villes intelligentes. Cette étude montre que ce sont les dynamiques sociales, plutôt que la seule infrastructure technologique, qui façonnent l'expérience numérique des personnes âgées. Bien que les résultats ne soient pas exhaustifs, ils proposent des stratégies pratiques pour les décideurs et les organisations communautaires afin de promouvoir l'inclusion numérique et de répondre aux défis spécifiques rencontrés par les personnes âgées, contribuant ainsi à des environnements urbains plus inclusifs. |