Older Australians report high levels of confidence when using digital tools in everyday life, according to the 2025 National Seniors Social Survey. While the findings are broadly positive, they also point to areas where support and accessibility remain important.
High Confidence Across Everyday Digital Tasks
The survey shows that older Australians are generally comfortable navigating digital technologies in their daily routines. For nearly all everyday tasks apart from video interaction and streaming, at least 75% of respondents rated their ability as good or excellent. Common activities such as emailing, browsing online, and managing basic digital services are now familiar to most respondents.
Differences between age groups remain relatively small. Respondents under 75 and those aged 75 and over reported similar confidence levels for most tasks. However, wider gaps were seen in areas such as online shopping, self-service checkouts, and video calls or streaming platforms, where older respondents reported lower confidence.
These results suggest that while overall digital adoption is strong, certain tools that require more interaction or familiarity may still present challenges for some users.
That shift toward practical technology at home can also include smart appliances such as automatic window cleaners and robot vacuums with mopping functions, such as ECOVACS DEEBOT devices, which may help reduce day-to-day cleaning effort for some older Australians.
Privacy And Support Still Matter To Older Australians
Despite widespread confidence, privacy remains a significant concern. Around 80% of respondents said they are worried about how their personal information is handled online. The result points to the continued importance of trust and clarity in digital services.
Many older Australians also expressed a strong preference for maintaining face-to-face options, particularly for essential services such as government support and banking. In-person assistance is viewed as an important complement to digital systems rather than a replacement.
The survey also points to the continued relevance of traditional formats. Manuals for household appliances were among the categories with the strongest preference for hard copies. This suggests that even as technology use increases, clarity and accessibility still matter.
Overall, the findings suggest that while older Australians are becoming increasingly confident with digital tools, ease of use, trust, and access to support continue to shape how technology is adopted and used.
