With time on their hands as they enjoy their retirement years, many seniors become active on social media. However, there are some mistakes that they make that should be easily rectified by these honest reminders.
We are not here to throw shade at our lolos and lolas, we just want them to be wiser and kinder when they mingle with the rest of the world on social media.
1. They don’t click links. A good number of seniors think that the preview of the shared article on Facebook is it. Thus, all they get is the headline, the lead photo, and the excerpt. Of course, with just those three elements to look at, they automatically think that the story is “biased,” “misleading,” or “incomplete.” It’s an honest mistake. You just have to gently explain to them that they need to click on the preview so they are then directed to the website where they can read the full story.
2. Using the PM feature is not their first move ? even when it comes to some sensitive topics. Consider this scenario: A Facebook user shared a photo of a baby that she just adopted. In her caption she wrote, “Meet my daughter.” A senior citizen who was her co-worker then comments, “How did this happen? I didn’t see you with a baby bump ever.” It’s a legitimate question, but, perhaps, it is best asked via the private message or PM feature. The same goes for other sensitive announcements or subjects. Another example: A teenage movie star posts photos of her school ID and a senior citizen comments, “Hey, how come you are using you mother’s last name? Are you illegitimate?” These types of questions really shouldn’t be asked so brazenly in the first place. It’s so much worse when they’re asked for all the world to see, though.
3. They automatically think everyone is their friend or relative. A number of seniors automatically assume that someone bearing the same name as their relative or friend is, indeed, their relative or friend. So, they immediately send that person pictures or other information. This is probably because they don’t know how to click around and get more clues from the person’s Facebook page or entries. This might very well make them vulnerable to scammers who can easily pretend to be their long lost relative or friend.
