AARP National Survey on Consumer Preparedness and E-Commerce: A Survey of Computer Users Age 45 and Older

In an increasingly technology-driven business environment, a significant proportion of computer users age 45 and older are inadequately prepared to deal with electronic commerce and online transactions. This is especially true for users who are over 65, less affluent, less educated, and generally less proficient and less confident than those younger, more affluent, and better educated.

To those surveyed, confidentiality of personal financial information is of utmost concern. Almost all believe that any personal information given during a financial transaction should remain the consumer's property, and oppose unrestricted sharing of personal financial information among businesses.

The telephone survey of 1,002 midlife and older computer users, among them 375 AARP members, was conducted in February 2000, and includes those with access to computers, whether at home (81%) and/or elsewhere (50%).