Carlos, could you please introduce yourself?
I am Carlos San Juan. I am 81 years old.
In 2022, I started a campaign in defence
of the most vulnerable old people against digital exclusion,
and I went all the way to the European Parliament.
What were you asking for?
First of all, I did not reject digital transformation.
But what I see now is that digital is not a progress,
but rather an evolution, because it excludes many people.
What I am asking for is to develop digital in two ways.
The first would be the fast lane
for people who are ready and willing, and voluntarily to go for it.
And then another, slower, non-compulsory lane,
for the many people who,
not only because they suffer cognitive disorders
or struggle to adapt to these new technologies because of their age,
but because they simply do not have
the basic tools digitalisation requires.
First, a home Internet connection, becoming more expensive every day,
a smartphone – at least – and, besides that,
the know-how for applications that became increasingly complicated
and mostly not adapted to the customers, but to the creator.
What are the consequences of the digitalisation
of essential services for older people?
The consequences are very damaging because it affects a vital tripod:
banking, compulsory administration, and healthcare,
which are three basic, social, fundamental, indispensable pillars.
[Digitalisation] makes it difficult to access to the pension, which is our livelihood,
it makes it difficult to pay for electricity,
water, gas, etc., the basic services of daily life.
Even to register and have the use
of these essential services for life,
you have to do it digitally.
The administration requires you to make
an appointment through an application,
then you have to go on digitally with all procedures.
And medicine has followed the path after the pandemic,
with the introduction of the video call,
consultation performed on the phone and even digital appointments.
What I am mostly against to is video and phone consultation,
because, obviously, a doctor has to see his patients and examine him or her.
And I still don’t know how to do it with a phone or a tablet.
Finally, why do you think it is important to sign this open letter
to guarantee off-line access to all essential services?
I see it as fundamental.
A question of solidarity and humanity.
Moreover, the fact that it tends to improve access for all people
obviously makes me more committed to sign it,
because the right to access rights and services is an inalienable right,
and policy makers and whoever it may concern should remind
there are people who remain invisible, and who are resigned,
and who often give up their own rights to access basic services,
to avoid asking for help and humiliation.
Don Carlos, are you happy to carry out this struggle?
I am very happy
because the motto of my life is to hate two expressions:
“This is not my problem.” and “It is what it is.”
I like to go to bed and, before going to sleep,
especially now that, as I am getting older,
it is more difficult to get to sleep every day,
in those moments when I look back on the day,
there are two things I like:
to have been useful to society,
and to have learned something.