Social Media is often on the receiving end of negative attention, but it is also a potentially valuable tool that can help men and women over 50 stay connected with their communities.
DR. MARIANNE FURTADO DE NAZARETH
Perhaps due to the popularity of social media among a generation of young people, who grew up with it. Platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are associated with people born in the 21st century. However a 2018 study from the PEW Institute found that 65 Percent of adults between the ages of 50 and 64 use Facebook and 68 percent use YouTube.
Social Media is often on the receiving end of negative attention, but it is also a potentially valuable tool that can help men and women over 50 stay connected with their communities. That’s not always easy for adults who no longer have children at home. And its name suggests, social media can help users connect with others who share their interests. Such connections are potentially hard for adults who are over 50.
Adults over 50 may be more comfortable with social media now than they were a decade ago. But it’s important for both men and women to brush up on basic safety measures to protect their privacy as they use these platforms like Face Book, Instagram and Twitter.
No Social Media user has the right to access your personal information which includes your address, date of birth or other details unique to you. Avoid interacting with anyone who requests personal information. There is a facility to block the person from connecting with you. It is also important to keep information about travel plans private. For example, sharing information about an upcoming vacation can be noticed by potential criminals that your house will be vacant, making it a susceptible target for burglars.
One should aim for quality of friends rather than quantity when building social media networks. Avoid accepting friend requests from all you don’t know. Cyber criminals gain access to victims via social media, so limit your network only to those you know and trust.
One should turn off location information. The technology behind social media is impressive and even makes it possible to determine where users are when they Tweet or post to other platforms. But many users concerned about their privacy don’t want to share location information with anyone, much less strangers. Turn off location information and check frequently that it remains off.
Always discuss others privacy concerns before posting to social media. Social media is not for everyone and so check before posting pictures and text with your friends. Prior to posting anything, it’s important to be sure if your family if are ok with your posting pictures and information about them and their kids too.
Social Media is gaining popularity with all age groups, especially with the older age group of users, however it’s still best to keep various social media safety protocols in place.
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