Baby Boomers Emerge as Surprising Screen Time Leaders

Everyone says that young people spend too much time on their phones, but a new survey suggests older adults might be the real digital devotees. According to research by AddictionResource.net, half of Americans between 61 and 79 years old spend more than three hours daily on their smartphones, with 20% regularly exceeding five hours of daily online activity.

This phenomenon represents what The Economist calls a “less-noticed explosion in screentime” occurring among people in their 60s and beyond. As older adults transition into retirement, their engagement with smart devices is “shooting up” dramatically, creating a digital behavior pattern that contrasts sharply with popular concerns about teenage tech usage.

Unlike teenagers, who face what many describe as a “moral panic” regarding their technology use in many countries, baby boomers have quietly become power users of digital platforms. Having been online since their middle age, this generation has evolved into “among the most enthusiastic adopters” of digital gadgets across the spectrum.

Research firm GWI’s seven-country survey reveals that older adults are now more likely than under-25s to own tablets, smart TVs, e-readers, and traditional computers. This technological embrace is reshaping retirement patterns, with leisure time increasingly centered around digital activities rather than traditional pursuits.

“Retirement is starting to look a lot less about golf and more about ‘Grand Theft Auto,'” notes The Economist, highlighting how digital entertainment has penetrated senior demographics in ways previously associated primarily with younger generations.

However, this digital immersion comes with distinct vulnerabilities. While older adults may be “more insulated” from the social pressure aspects of social media that affect teenagers, they face elevated risks from digital scammers and misinformation campaigns. Crucially, they typically lack the social guardrails that parents and teachers provide for teenagers’ online activities.

Without these protective oversight mechanisms, older adults are more susceptible to falling down internet “rabbit holes” and may have fewer resources for assistance when encountering problematic content. This vulnerability becomes particularly concerning regarding misinformation exposure.

Guardian journalist April O’Neill documented a case study of an older man with “time on his hands” and “little media literacy” who transformed from discussing benign interests like birdwatching to sharing extremist content and embracing conspiracy theories. While this represents an extreme case, research supports the underlying pattern of age-related vulnerability.

A study published in Public Opinion Quarterly last year found that while older Americans can identify misleading online content as effectively as younger users, they demonstrate a greater likelihood of engaging with such content. This engagement pattern makes them “more vulnerable to hyperpartisan news” over time, potentially exacerbating political polarization.

Despite these concerns, digital engagement offers significant benefits for older adults. A comprehensive meta-analysis published in Nature Human Behaviour, examining over 400,000 older adults, found that regular digital device users experience lower rates of cognitive decline compared to non-users.

Scientists remain uncertain whether technology actively “staves off mental decline” or if individuals with stronger cognitive abilities simply gravitate toward digital platforms. Nevertheless, these findings challenge assumptions that increased screen time inevitably leads to “digital dementia,” as noted by The Guardian’s science editor Ian Sample.

The digital world provides unique advantages for older demographics. From virtual religious services and book clubs to telemedicine appointments and e-commerce, online connectivity offers particular value to individuals with mobility limitations or social isolation challenges.

“The connective power of the internet is especially valuable to those who struggle to get out,” The Economist concludes, suggesting that digital technology might ultimately deliver more substantial benefits to older adults than to their younger counterparts, despite the accompanying risks.