Linda Hong Cheng, DPhil student and co-founder of Mung!, hosted Oxford’s first-ever student-led event dedicated to addressing the digital exclusion of older people.
Mung! is an innovative AI-driven AgeTech startup dedicated to making digital technology accessible and inclusive for all age groups. Linda Hong Cheng, co-founder of Mung! and DPhil student at Oxford’s Sociology department and the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, co-organised an elderly digital skills workshop and combatting digital ageism panel on Wednesday 21 August to address the digital exclusion faced by older people.
Lind Hong Cheng said, ‘Mung! is tackling digital exclusion, a critical global issue recognised by leading institutions like the UN and ITU. As technology becomes ever-essential for daily life, it often excludes older people, even though they form a rapidly growing demographic and powerful consumer market. The tech industry overwhelmingly serves younger demographics, leaving behind marginalised age groups. Mung! is the first company of its kind, with aims to make technology accessible and inclusive for all ages—recognising that excluding older people is both unethical and bad for business.’
Sponsored by Saïd Business School and supported by Age UK Oxfordshire, Oxford Hub, and Oxfordshire County Council, the event featured leading experts on combatting digital ageism including Professor Max Van Kleek from Oxford’s Human-Centred Computing department, Michelle Yeung from the Translational Sciences department, and Carrie Brooks from Age UK Oxfordshire.
Led and moderated by Linda Hong Cheng, the panel discussed the barriers older people and marginalised communities face in accessing digital resources, decolonial design approaches for making digital products more inclusive, the transformative impact of digital inclusion for ageing populations, and how Mung! is making technology accessible and inclusive for all ages.
A diverse group of older community members from across Oxfordshire attended the digital skills workshop which helped participants, ranging from basic device functions to solving complex technological issues that had previously hindered their daily lives.
A participant of the workshop said, ‘I’ve lived in England for over sixty years and witnessed everything change. I still want to learn but everything’s so hard to access. Go to the bank, you can’t find a customer representative. Have trouble using my phone, but there aren’t any classes for people my age. I’ve never seen a company like Mung!, and I really hope they continue doing this workshop.’
Tongshan Liu, co-founder and organiser of the digital skills workshop said, ‘The workshop had a high turnout and very enthusiastic response, with participants eager to learn and requesting more sessions. Digital exclusion worsens isolation, and our event highlighted the need for safe, welcoming spaces to learn for all ages. It also underscored Mung!'s vital role in promoting digital inclusion and building cross-generational community.’
Find out more about Mung! (@mungtech on socials) which is dedicated to making digital technology accessible and inclusive for all age groups. Founded by Oxford PhD students Linda Hong Cheng, Tongshan Liu, and Marek Rychetsky, Mung! is at the forefront of addressing the urgent global challenges of ageing and digitisation by pioneering innovative solutions that bridge the digital divide for older adults.
Read more about the event in the Oxford Mail
Credit: Mung!
