Abstract: Based on data from the 2023 China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS), this study empirically examines the impact of the digital divide on older adults' consumption and its underlying mechanisms. The results show that a high-level digital divide significantly suppresses older adults' consumption. This negative effect is mediated by older adults' negative perceptions and attitudes toward aging. The moderating effects analysis suggests that social participation, family and peer support for older adults' Internet use can mitigate the suppressive effect of a high-level digital divide on older adults' consumption. The moderating effects vary depending on whether there are non-older adults in the household. The heterogeneity analysis shows that the suppressive effect of a high-level digital divide on consumption is more pronounced among the oldest-old, rural older adults, and those residing in economically underdeveloped regions. This study emphasizes the need to strengthen digital infrastructure, promote the age-friendly digital design, foster intergenerational digital literacy support within families, and strengthen social support and participation in community activities. Furthermore, a stratified and categorized digital inclusion support system should be established to meet the diverse consumption needs of different older adult populations.

Keywords: Digital Divide, Older Adults' Consumption, Silver Economy

摘要： 基于2023年中国老年社会追踪调查(CLASS)数据，本文实证分析了数字鸿沟对老年消费的影响及其作用机制。研究结果表明，深度数字鸿沟显著抑制老年消费，老年人的老化负向认知和消极老化态度起到了中介作用。调节效应分析显示，社会活动参与和家庭与朋辈支持可以缓解深度数字鸿沟对老年消费的抑制作用，但其效果因家庭中是否包含非老年成员而异。异质性分析显示，深度数字鸿沟对老年消费的抑制作用在高龄、农村与经济欠发达地区的老年群体中更明显。鉴于此，本文建议，应加强数字基础设施建设，推动数字产品和服务适老化，鼓励家庭数字反哺，强化社会支持并促进社会活动参与，构建分层分类的数字包容政策体系，满足不同老年群体多样化的消费需求。

关键词: 数字鸿沟, 老年消费, 银发经济