Technology

The public sector is increasingly moving to online platforms, with federal agencies like the Social Security Administration (SSA) promoting the use of its online portal, mySSA, for managing benefits and administrative services. However, low digital trust, defined as low confidence in the ability of digital services and their providers to safeguard stakeholder privacy, presents a challenge to widespread adoption. Older adults particularly exhibit heightened concerns about online privacy. Additionally, immigrants show diminished trust in government services, due to fears about deportation and anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S.

This community-based participatory research study aims to understand the attitudinal barriers associated with digital trust when utilizing SSA services among Spanish- and Chinese- speaking immigrants in New York City. Findings from this study will be used to develop effective outreach and communication strategies to increase the use of mySSA by older adult immigrant populations by addressing online privacy concerns and enhancing digital trust.

This project is funded by the Social Security Administration (SSA) through the New York Retirement and Disability Research Center (NY-RDRC), which is part of the SSA’s Retirement and Disability Research Consortium. The NY-RDRC, led by Na Yin, Ruth Finkelstein, and Teresa Ghilarducci, is a collaboration of the CUNY Institute for Demographic Research at Baruch College, the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging, and the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis at The New School.