Examining social network site usage by older adults: A phenomenological approach

Social networking on the Internet has significantly expanded interpersonal communication, making social networking sites essential to one’s daily life and communication. Until recently, young people have been the primary participants in this fast-growing phenomenon. However, in recent years, there has been a noteworthy increase in the number of older adult participants. This is important because it seems to signify a decrease in the Internet usage gap called the “digital divide”, and because there is strong evidence older adults may greatly benefit from social networking activity. Significant growth in the senior age group reinforces the importance of considering this “digital divide”. This study used a phenomenological approach to explore the experience of older adult users of social networking sites to determine the reasons why more older adults are now making social networking sites part of their lives. The study revealed both negative and positive influences on this choice that include: early negative personal experiences with technology, positive family influences, an increasing prevalence of technology, and technology's transition from complexity of use to ease of use. The probing, detailed nature of this phenomenological study clarified influences and offered new perspectives, implying that research could benefit from a broader and deeper inspection.