Survey finds e-literacy low among European citizens
e-literacy divides European citizens, according to the latest statistics from Eurostat, which show that 37 per cent of people still lack basic computer skills. Age, education, geography and access to employment are cited as the main factors influencing the level of computer know-how. The Commission's i2010 initiative aims to close this digital divide, encouraging the European digital economy. The 2005 survey, 'How skilled are Europeans in using computers and the internet?', is based on a sample of 181,703 European citizens aged 16 to 74 who were asked to indicate their ability to carry out specific computer tasks. These ranged from copying or moving files or folders to compressing files to writing a computer program using a specialised programming language. The survey points to several factors which affect the level of computer literacy. The fact that such a significant proportion of European citizens have no computer skills at all is not surprising when considering that more than one in three (34 per cent) of those surveyed had never used a computer. This ranged from eight per cent in countries such as Finland and Denmark to 65 per cent in Greece. When comparing economically strong and weak regions, the survey shows that in the latter the proportion of the population which has never used a computer is almost double that in more prosperous countries. Digital literacy is a particular problem for the older generation, with 61 per cent of people over 55 years of age having no computer skills - ranging from 27 per cent in Denmark and Sweden to 93 per cent in Greece. But even in the working 25-54 age group, skills are noticeably lacking. For this age group, the survey finds that on average 29 per cent of people are unable to perform simple computer tasks. This rises to more than 50 per cent in Greece, Italy, Cyprus, Lithuania and Hungary. However, in countries such as Denmark, Luxembourg, Iceland and Norway, more than two out of every five respondents in this age category show a high level of computer skills. Not surprisingly, the most e-savvy are the 16-24 age-group, with 40 per cent of young people showing the highest know-how when it comes to computers. Only 10 per cent (EU average) of respondents in this age group reported having no basic skills at all. Education is an important factor, with levels of e-literacy rising as the education level rises. The survey finds that, on average, only 11 per cent of those in higher education lacking basic computer skills, ranging from two per cent in Sweden to 24 per cent in Estonia, while 41 per cent claimed high-level skills. Combining age groups with level of education, the differences become even clearer, as almost 80 per cent of people over the age off 55 with less education reported never having used a computer. Access to employment plays an important role in gaining basic computer skills. The survey finds that the unemployed are more likely to lack basic skills than the general population. In countries such as Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary, two out of every three unemployed people are unskilled in computers. However, in Denmark, Germany and Norway, only an average of 10 per cent of the unemployed have problems using a computer. Respondents were also asked about their ability to use the internet to carry out tasks such as using a search engine to find information, sending an email, sharing files or creating a web page. Conclusions similar to those for computer use can be drawn. A total of 57 per cent of respondents do not regularly use the Internet (at least once a week). This rises to 77 per cent for people with lower-level education, meaning that specific programmes for e-learning or jobsites aimed at those with lower-levels of education may reach only a quarter of their potential target users. The results show that the i2010 initiative still has some way to go in bridging the digital divide, not only between Member States, but also across different groups within Member States, and boost access - and skills - for all.