Bridging the gap: Senior Citizens’ Use of Social Media as News and Information Source
Abstract
This qualitative research explores how senior citizens use social media as source of news and information. Using structured interviews, the researchers found out that the factors that enable them to their use of social media are education, economic status and their enabling environment (i.e., ownership and availability of gadgets, and social support). Senior citizens usually subscribe to entertainment news. They were also interested in health news stories, politics, crimes and calamities, lifestyle, and religious and inspirational. Lastly, these senior citizens also suggest that 1) providing them with the gadgets they need would help in their coping with social media 2) organization and/or community leaders should find internet access as an important facility 3) holding more programs and seminars that “could best catch their interest for them to eventually engage in social media” would definitely make them “enjoy the magic of these high-tech schemes”.
The study is significant such that social media also empowers them through quick flow of information and news in the social media so they become updated and bridges the gap as it allows participation from all ages.
Bautista, K.A.F. & Galon, B.P. (2014). Bridging the gap: Senior Citizens’ Use of Social Media as News and Information Source, Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.