Illustration: Xia Qing/Global Times

The digital era has simplified our lives in various ways. But it tends to mainly benefit the young. Many senior Chinese citizens seem to have hard time catching up with technological development. For instance, the wide spread of taxi-hailing app has made it hard for many seniors to hail a taxi. According to a survey by the People's Bank of China, only 51 percent of people aged over 60 use electronic payment services. More efforts should be made to help the elderly to fit into the digital era. This is a bid to bridge the digital gap for them and prevent them from being abandoned by this fast paced age. For example, related authorities and internet technology firms can adjust smart devices and apps to be more user-friendly for senior citizens. The young need to spend more time to instruct their parents on how to better access the internet and smart services. Technological progress should benefit all members of our society. The elderly should not become "marginalized" in the digital age.