What do the over-65s do online?

Life without internet is barely imaginable nowadays. The over-65s are also increasingly online. They use the internet mainly for the purpose of communication and information, but also to do their banking. Particularly those aged 75 and over are increasingly involved in online banking.

In 2021, more than 80 percent of 65 to 74‑year-olds used the internet mainly for communication purposes: sending and receiving emails (85 percent) and sending text messages, e.g. via WhatsApp (83 percent). The over-75s did so less: 63 percent sent emails and 51 percent sent text messages. Email continues to be the most frequently used online means of communication among the over-75s.

Especially the use of messaging services has increased in recent years. Among 65 to 74‑year-olds, the percentage sending text messages increased from 70 to 83 percent between 2019 and 2021, and among over-75s from 34 to 51 percent.

Show datatableOnline activities in the three months prior to the survey¹⁾, 2021 (%)Hide datatableOnline activities in the three months prior to the survey¹⁾, 2021 (%)

Online activities in the three months prior to the survey¹⁾, 2021 (%)

Persoonskenmerken	12 yrs and over	65-74 yrs	75 yrs and over
Send and receive emails	89	85	63
Texting e.g. via WhatsApp	88	83	51
Look up product information	86	85	58
Online banking or mobile banking	85	83	55
1)The survey is conducted annually in the months April to June.

Internet as a source of information

In 2021, 85 percent of people aged between 65 and 75 used the internet to search for information about goods and services. This is more than in 2019, when 79 percent were searching for information on the internet. The same applies to the over-75s: in 2021, 58 percent searched for information online, against 48 percent two years previously. In total, 86 percent of the Dutch population aged 12 years and over used the internet in 2021 to search for information.

Online searches for health information have also surged among the over-75s; almost half of them searched for health information on the internet in 2021, up from 36 percent in 2019.

More online banking

Over-65s are also increasingly doing their banking online. In 2019, 78 percent of people aged between 65 and 75 participated in online or mobile banking, two years later this had increased to 83 percent.

The over-75s in particular seem to have found their way to internet banking. In 2021, 55 percent of them used the internet to do their banking, against 47 percent in 2019.

In total, 85 percent of the Dutch population aged 12 years and over were online to do their internet or mobile banking.

Show datatableOnline or mobile banking in the three months prior to the survey¹⁾ (%)Hide datatableOnline or mobile banking in the three months prior to the survey¹⁾ (%)

Online or mobile banking in the three months prior to the survey¹⁾ (%)

Persoonskenmerken	2021	2019
12 yrs and over	85	84
65 to 74 yrs	83	78
75 yrs and over	55	47
1)The survey is conducted annually in the months April to June.

Smartphone the most frequently used device

In 2021, almost 9 in 10 Dutch people aged 12 years and over said that they use a smartphone. Laptops followed the smartphone as the most popular device, followed in turn by tablets. Desktop computers are being used less. Over-75s are using a tablet, laptop or desktop computer equally often.

The questions

1. How does CBS collect data?
2. How much do we cycle per week on average?
3. Who are most likely to work part-time?
4. How many people visited Bonaire by cruise ship?
5. Are people happy with the house they live in?
6. How many young women encounter street harassment?
7. What do the over-65s do online?
8. How many wind turbines in the Netherlands?
9. How far is school by bike?
10. How many museums are there?
11. How much electricity in the Caribbean Netherlands is renewable?
12. How many adults are overweight?
13. How many cargo ships dock at Dutch seaports?
14. What did we listen to on the radio in 1953?
15. What is the average lifespan in the Netherlands?
16. Where did we go for a holiday in 1947?
17. How much fish is landed?
18. Where were people in the Netherlands born?
19. What do we spend money on?
20. How old are Dutch first-time mothers on average?
21. How much cheese do we produce?
22. How are goods transported through the Netherlands?
23. How many people fall victim to cybercrime?
24. What is the most spoken language or dialect at home?
25. How many shops are there?
26. What is the value of Dutch beer exports?
27. How often do we have a goosebump moment?
28. How many cows graze in fields?
29. What are the most popular majors?
30. How tall are Dutch people?
31. How is the urban bird population doing?
32. Where do most people work?
33. What colour is our car?
34. How does CBS handle your privacy?