Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the challenges faced by elderly individuals, particularly in navigating smartphone technology, which often leads to frustration and exploitation through intrusive advertisements and scams [5][20][26]. Group 1: Elderly Users' Experience - Liu Huiqin, a 73-year-old retired worker, uses her smartphone to connect with the world, but often struggles with intrusive ads that disrupt her experience [2][3]. - The number of internet users aged 60 and above in China is projected to reach 161 million by mid-2025, indicating a significant demographic increasingly exposed to digital advertising [5]. - Elderly users like Liu Huiqin and others often find themselves overwhelmed by unwanted applications and advertisements, leading to a frustrating user experience [8][10]. Group 2: Impact of Advertisements - The article discusses how advertisements infiltrate the apps that elderly users frequently engage with, causing confusion and leading to accidental downloads of unwanted software [8][9][12]. - Many elderly individuals cannot distinguish between legitimate notifications and scams, making them vulnerable to fraud [9][10]. - The prevalence of ads in free applications is a significant issue, as these ads are often designed to exploit the lack of digital literacy among older users [20][24]. Group 3: Family Dynamics and Support - Younger family members often take on the role of tech support for their elderly relatives, regularly cleaning their devices and teaching them how to navigate the digital landscape [13][16]. - The article illustrates the emotional toll on family members who feel responsible for protecting their elderly relatives from digital exploitation [30][32]. - There is a growing need for better-designed technology that caters to the elderly, as current solutions often fail to address their specific needs [34][35]. Group 4: Industry and Technology Design - The article points out that many apps and services targeting elderly users are not designed with their needs in mind, often leading to a poor user experience [20][26]. - Despite regulations aimed at protecting elderly users from intrusive ads, the effectiveness of these measures remains limited due to the prevailing "free + advertising" business model [26][27]. - The technology industry is urged to create more user-friendly interfaces and applications that do not bombard elderly users with advertisements [26][34].
数千万老年人,正被手机广告弹窗霸凌
凤凰网财经·2025-12-09 12:52