ITWire

Sensis' annual e-Business Report found an increase from 59 to 82 percent in the number of respondents over 65 with a computer at home and an increase from two to 19 percent in those owning a tablet.

"Use of social media more than tripled during the past year among over 65s, with 27 percent saying they have used social media sites in the past year, up from 10 percent last year," Sensis reported. However "Forty nine percent say they use social media less than once a week, whereas 42 percent of the total population say they use social media several times a day."

Report author, Christena Singh, said: "I think 2012 will be remembered as the year that older Australians got online. It's interesting to see that many are choosing to do this with a tablet device rather than just their home computer."

Singh added: "Using a mobile phone to access the Internet hasn't yet caught on with the older age group, but this may change over time. Only 11 percent of people over 65 say they have gone online using their phone, compared to 58 percent of the total population. This figure is as high as 88 percent in the 20-29 age group."

Not surprisingly, the report also found that the over-65s are less likely to shop online and when they do they are more likely to buy books rather than clothes, accessories and shoes.

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