Int. J. Innovation and Learning, Vol. 27, No. 4, 2020 467 Copyright © 2020 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Older adults as the internet users: age and gender approach Ivana Simonova* Department of English Language and Literature, University of Jan Evangelista Purkyne, Pasteurova 3544/1, 40096 Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic Email: ivana.simonova@ujep.cz *Corresponding author Petra Poulova, Pavel Prazak and Blanka Klimova Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove, Rokitanskeho 62, 50003 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic Email: petra.poulova@uhk.cz Email: pavel.prazak@uhk.cz Email: blanka.klimova@uhk.cz Abstract: Currently, aging has become an important topic as the amount of older adults is increasing. Therefore, there are efforts to prolong an active life of older people, and ICT, both devices and services may assist them in this process. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of the internet among older people in the Czech Republic with respect to their age and gender. The key methods exploited in this study include a questionnaire survey. The results indicate that the age is a decisive factor in the use of the internet by seniors. However, the gender seems not to belong to important factors. Generally, older people mostly use the internet for socialising (communication, sharing images), gaining information and exploiting e-services (banking, shopping). The results also suggest that they should be trained in the use of the internet and considering the collected information. Keywords: older adults; seniors; active; age; gender; internet; internet activities; internet services; University of the Third Age; U3V; questionnaire. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Simonova, I., Poulova, P., Prazak, P. and Klimova, B. (2020) ‘Older adults as the internet users: age and gender approach’, Int. J. Innovation and Learning, Vol. 27, No. 4, pp.467–482. Biographical notes: Ivana Simonova worked at the Faculty of Informatics and Management, University of Hradec Kralove for 20 years. Since 2017, she has been with the Faculty of Education, Department of English Language and Literature, University of Jan Evangelista Purkyne, Usti nad Labem, currently at the position of Vice-Dean for International Affairs. She is an author/co-author of four monographs dealing with research in e-learning in English language teaching and learning, conference papers, journal articles and distance study materials, a participant of recognised conferences. She has reviewed and been supervising PhD theses in the ICT in Education and English Language Didactics doctoral study programmes.