A new study shows that digital platforms, such as TikTok, are being used by older adults, and it’s helping to debunk stereotypes about aging. According to the researchers, by engaging in discourse about aging, it’s having “immense sway” with the followers of these older adults on the social media platform.
The study was conducted by researchers from the National University of Singapore, who looked at 348 TikTok videos from older adults who have a following of a minimum of 100,000. Of those videos, they found that close to three out of four videos feature older adults defying ageist stereotypes, while nearly one-fifth make light of the vulnerabilities that come with aging, and 11 percent calling out ageism, reports mcknightseniorliving.com.
The study was featured in the journal The Gerontologist and the authors note that their findings indicate the potential of these older adults being at the forefront of challenging society’s perceptions of aging. This goes against the prevailing notion that older adults are scared of using new technology; there is a growing group of older adults turning to using technology (a large wave of which surged through the pandemic). The study authors state that older adults participating in platforms such as TikTok will help “destabilize age-related norms.”
For more details on how the researchers believe older adults can make the best use of social media platforms as a means to battle ageism, read the full mcknightseniorliving.com article here.
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