Silver surfers forgotten in social media boom

Older people embrace social media if it fits their needs. Menno van der Sman

Social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are an almost ubiquitous part of most young people’s lives after just a few years of existence. But the enthusiasm with which they have been adopted by this group has not been mirrored in older generations.


This lack of uptake reflects a wider problem. Figures released by Age UK yesterday show that there are just four areas in England in which the percentage of older adults online outnumbers those who are offline. The charity has called on the government and local authorities to take action to help address the problem that people over a certain age are the least likely to take advantage of online services.


Research in the past has suggested that intensity of Facebook usage is linked with greater life satisfaction and decreased loneliness. Using these services to connect with children or grandchildren who live far away, for example, can help adults who feel disassociated with family events.

But research shows that older adults have different concerns to the young when they decide whether or not to join up. Because these sites often don’t address these concerns, potential older users are excluded from the benefits they offer.






Understanding users is an important step in developing the best possible websites for people. Taking into account these design considerations can reduce the barriers that older adults face, creating a more inclusive website. By investigating how we can improve these sites for older users, we can provide an online environment where a wider range of people can feel comfortable communicating and sharing content with family and friends, if they choose to do so, with implications for life satisfaction and loneliness.