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Measuring Digital Inequality Across the Life Cycle: Age, Gender, and Education Effects in Türkiye

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  • Gamze Kargın Akkoç

Abstract

Rapid technological developments have forced economic actors to adapt to the digital world, revealing the economic significance of digital inequalities. This study investigates digital inequality dynamics throughout the life cycle in Türkiye by creating a multidimensional digital welfare indicator. This indicator encompasses access to digital tools, usage frequency, purposes, and digital experience, using TURKSTAT's Household Information Technology Usage Surveys. Digital inequality is measured via the Gini coefficient across age, gender, and education. Findings show that digital inequality in Türkiye decreased significantly in the last decade, with the Gini coefficient falling from 0.539 in 2015 to 0.285 in 2023. Digital inequality increases steadily across age groups after youth and is significantly higher among elderly individuals, women, and those with low education. While digital inequalities among women exceed those among men, this gap has widened over the last decade. Digital welfare follows an inverted U-shape throughout the life cycle, peaking in middle age. Education significantly reduces age and gender-based digital inequalities. Policy recommendations include digital literacy programs for the elderly, gender-sensitive support strategies, and integration of digital skills into lifelong learning frameworks.

Suggested Citation

  • Gamze Kargın Akkoç, 2025. "Measuring Digital Inequality Across the Life Cycle: Age, Gender, and Education Effects in Türkiye," Journal of Research in Economics, Politics & Finance, Ersan ERSOY, vol. 10(3), pages 1086-1103.
    • Handle: RePEc:ahs:journl:v:10:y:2025:i:3:p:1086-1103
    DOI: 10.30784/epfad.1687594
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Amy Antonio & David Tuffley, 2014. "The Gender Digital Divide in Developing Countries," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-15, October.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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