Hooked on TikTok in old age? RSU graduate explores seniors’ relationship with the app

Writer: Renalds Beļaks, graduate of the RSU Multimedia Communication bachelor’s programme

Do you remember your first smartphone? For many, it must have been an exciting adventure that provided new opportunities and put the world of the internet in their pocket. However, for seniors the decision to get a smartphone can be filled with anxiety, require support from people around them, and might stem from social pressure. As part of his bachelor’s thesis, Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) student Renalds Beļaks studied TikTok usage habits among seniors, interviewing several male and female respondents in Latvia who are of retirement age and use a smartphone with internet access and the TikTok app. What did they say?

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How seniors take their first steps towards TikTok

It is often assumed that seniors, as a group, are less skilled in using technology. However, recent studies^{1, 2} indicate significant differences in digital proficiency among older adults. An increasing number of seniors are learning to use smartphones, actively engaging in the digital environment, and using social media. This engagement develops gradually and is influenced by both motivation and environment. For seniors, learning to use technology is not only about acquiring skills but also about maintaining connections with family and friends.

A senior’s path to a smartphone is often a lonely one. It usually begins with someone offering help – for example, children, grandchildren, friends, or even neighbours. The smartphone is either given as a gift, or the senior has to buy one because their old phone has stopped working and the traditional push-button models are no longer available in shops. Here are some testmionials:

‘No, I did not want this phone. I liked the push-button one – I could quickly find everything on it: just press a button and that’s it. Now we have all these new technologies [and people say], “Come on, you don’t want to lag behind! You’ll find it interesting.” Then I agreed, and the phone was given to me as a gift!’ (72-year old)

‘Previously, I only had a button phone. I suddenly needed to replace it because my old one stopped working. I had to buy a smartphone, as the shop no longer sold button phones, and my family also insisted that I finally switch to something more modern.’ (65-year old)

Mobile phones can be described as deeply personal and intimate devices, which are usually given as gifts only by family members. For seniors, these are typically their children or grandchildren, who also help them to set up the smartphone and demonstrate how to make calls, open the messaging app, and use the camera function, which are features that seniors themselves are usually interested in. Once they have mastered the basic functions of a smartphone, which they also used on their old phones, they learn how to use other apps with the help of people around them. Most often, these include popular apps such as Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and TikTok.

Seniors admit that, at first, smartphones seemed very complicated and even intimidating. They were afraid of breaking them or accidentally deleting something, but over time they have realised that irreversible changes are almost impossible, and smartphones have become an important part of their everyday lives. Some gained their first experience with smartphones while still working; others only began using them in retirement. None of the study participants would be willing to return to push-button phones.

Sending video greetings to one another

Seniors often learn from one another and also teach others, particularly as they are interested in sharing TikTok videos and viewing those sent by others. Once the app is successfully downloaded and set up, they begin using TikTok on a daily basis. One important motivating factor for their use of the app is the ability to find entertaining videos and video greetings to share with friends and family.

Seniors’ self-assessment of the impact of TikTok was surprisingly positive. One study participant jokingly mentioned that he is hooked on TikTok, but is grateful for the app, as it helps him fight loneliness, provides entertainment, and offers useful information. Another senior noted that there are times when she feels a strong urge to continue watching TikTok videos, but she recognises that this happens because she has been using the app for too long: the longer you watch, the longer you want to watch.

Read the full article on the LSM portal in Latvian:

• How seniors take their first steps towards TikTok
• Register if you want to view the video you received: what motivates seniors to start using TikTok
• Sharing videos and greetings with one another: what seniors do on TikTok
• TikTok helps to fight loneliness
• The risk of falling prey to disinformation

Sources

1. Quan-Haase, Anabel, Carly Williams, Maria Kicevski, Isioma Elueze un Barry Wellman. 2018. "Dividing the Grey Divide: Deconstructing Myths About Older Adults"
2. Wilson, Gemma, Jessica R. Gates, Santosh Vijaykumar un Deborah J. Morgan. 2023. "Understanding older adults’ use of social technology and the factors influencing use." 222–245. doi:10.1017/S0144686X21000490