Digitalizzati: bridging Italy’s digital divide | Euroconsumers

Digitalizzati: bridging Italy’s digital divide
Euroconsumers member Altroconsumo wraps up its project to bring together Italy’s generations through digital skills and innovation
What is Digitalizzati?

Scam reporting, hackathons and an AI consumer law advisor are all helping to bridge Italy’s digital divide through Altroconsumo’sDigitalizzatiproject

Taking an inclusive, community‑first approach, Altroconsumo worked with schools, associations, media outlets and local groups to promote education and awareness

Digitalizzati worked with young people aged 16–20 and adults over 60, using an intergenerational model that sparks cooperation and builds connections between generations. Younger participants stepped into the role of digital ambassadors at home, while older adults learned practical, safer ways to use the internet, banking apps and online public services. 

Here’s more on what the project has achieved: 

Learning from older consumers about how they use the internet

Altroconsumo wanted to find out more about the digital skills gap in Italy which can leave some older users frustrated and at risk of scams. 

Digital public administration, banking and healthcare services widely used by older adults but services are not always straightforward

The new research showed that many people aged 55 and over use digital services, but are not always fully autonomous. A significant share of users encounter difficulties, particularly those who are in the older age bracket or have lower levels of education

Insights from a follow up survey of the respondents’ children revealed that they felt their parents’ confidence and ability were lower than their parents reported. 

When help is needed, it is almost always the children who step in, especially for practical tasks such as logging in, managing documents and completing online payments

Among adults aged over 75, both the need for support and cases of full delegation are even more common. 

After hearing from older consumers and their families, Digitalizzati set up activities to help build confidence and autonomy for all users

Problem solving with Gen Z

Another strand of Digitalizzati brought together different generations to share experiences and problem-solve together. The research had revealed demand for additional support tools, including simple user guides, telephone or chat assistance, and clearer and more reliable digital systems.  

Altroconsumo hosted a min-hackathon during the 2026Social Innovation Campus at the Milano Innovation District. A total of 191 young participants worked with senior volunteers fromAUSER,the association for active aging, to find creative and innovative solutions to overcome barriers to accessing digital services and the online world

This was all part of promoting digital literacy in a friendly and fun way – and showed how generations working together could bridge the digital skills gap divide

Report a scam, catch a scammer

A large proportion of the over-55s in our research used digital banking services but there were some worries about making mistakes or losing money

We know low confidence and skills can make people more vulnerable to scams so during the first months of the project, Altroconsumo created a dedicatedReport a Scamsection on its website where members and non-members could report online fraud and scams.  

The accessible form enabled citizens to report suspicious SMS messages, fraudulent emails, scam phone calls, fake websites and illegal online content

Since its launch in February 2026, over 3,691 scams have been reported, giving a strong indication of emerging threats and the chance for Altroconsumo to respond with specific advice and guidance. 

Around two out of three reports concerned phishing or smishing attempts, confirming these as by far the most widespread forms of online fraud. Banking scams, often closely linked to phishing, follow, while fraudulent online purchases represent the third most common type of scam. 

Over a thousand reports were made about frauds which involved impersonating digital payment company Nexi by sending fraudulent SMS messages and emails, fake payment alerts, card update requests, account suspensions or identity verification messages. In light of these findings, Altroconsumo has reached out to Nexi and the Bank of Italy to identify potential preventative actions. 

E-commerce is the second most targeted sector, with Amazon, Subito, Vinted and Booking among the brands most frequently exploited. The scams mainly involve fake orders, fraudulent payment requests, fictitious refunds and fake online advertisements

Asking an AI legal chatbot for help

Finally, Altroconsumo has released a legal chatbot called Vera, to help consumers understand their rights and how to apply them. It’s available 24/7 to users who can ask an unlimited number of questions and has been a great way to test how to build effective and reliable AI advice services for consumers

Since March 2026, the AI legal chatbot Vera has already answered almost 5,250 inquiries, giving access to legal information and guidance on consumer rights.    

The chatbot complements and supports Altroconsumo’s current consumer legal advice service, and will also grow a valuable data set of case reports which shows how people frame and interpret consumer legal issues

Bringing it all together with multiple solutions

There’s no single solution to building a safer, more inclusive digital world, Altroconsumo has identified several fronts that need addressing:

• expanding digital skills among people of all ages to reduce inequalities in access to and use of digital tools;
• fostering collaboration among stakeholders around shared objectives;
• simplifying regulations without lowering safety standards, while ensuring greater harmonisation across EU Member States;
• promoting a model of shared responsibility for digital safety and inclusion.

The project’sclosing event was held in Rome on15th July 2026organised by Altroconsumo andI-Com, the Institute for Competitiveness based in Rome and Brussels  with representatives from digital payments companies, national banks, enforcement, children’s charities and data protection authorities. 

The event was an opportunity to take stock of the results of the project and to discuss not only the risks associated with children and young people’s early exposure to social media, but also the need to invest in continuous education and training at every age

 

 

 

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Strengthening digital skills is essential to help both younger and older generations better understand the risks and opportunities offered by the digital environment. Digitalizatti’s work across different age groups shows just how important this is. Strong backing from industry and public bodies will help us deliver it

Luisa Crisigiovanni, Head of EU Projects, Euroconsumers

Discussions emphasised again that building a safer, more inclusive and responsible digital society requires a collective effort. No organisation or person can address these challenges alone. 

Cooperation between institutions, businesses, consumer organisations and citizens, combined with continuous education and effective, harmonised regulation, is essential to ensure that everyone can benefit from digitalisation while being adequately protected from its risks

The Digitalizzati project is funded by Italy’s Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy

Source: www.euroconsumers.org