One netizen’s online comment recently sparked much debate about the possible exclusion of technologically illiterate seniors from admission to the Palace Museum, or Forbidden City, in Beijing, which has adopted an online booking system that limits the daily number of visitors to 24,000. The museum responded by advising senior citizens to inquire at the entrance for remaining tickets. 

Other tourist attractions in Beijing, such as Prince Gong’s Mansion and the National Art Museum, have made allowances for elderly visitors by either reserving a certain number of tickets for them or allowing them to enter without advance bookings. 

A hallmark of a civilized society is that it looks after its most vulnerable members. While digital services have made life easier for many people, the older generations seem to have been left behind. 

In 2050, the total number of senior citizens is expected to reach 487 million, an estimated 34.9 percent of the entire population. Therefore, China still has a long way to go in better serving the elderly in an increasingly digital age.