Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online
A surprising window into the online lives of people sixty and over—offering essential insights, no matter your age.


Many popular accounts say the older you are, the greater your tech struggles. And it’s worrying to think of loved ones emailing cringe-worthy misinformation, falling for phishing attacks, or becoming lonelier with increasing time spent online.  


But in their eye-opening book on the internet’s fastest-growing demographic, researchers Eszter Hargittai and John Palfrey offer a more nuanced picture—debunking common myths about older adults’ internet use to offer hope and a necessary call to action. Incorporating original interviews and survey results from thousands of people sixty and over, Wired Wisdom shows that many, in fact, use technology in ways that put younger peers to shame. Over-sixties are often nimble online and quicker to abandon social media platforms that don’t meet their needs. Despite being targeted more often, they also may be less likely to fall for scams than younger peers. And fake news actually fools fewer people over sixty, who have far more experience evaluating sources and detecting propaganda. Still, there are unseen risks and missed opportunities for this group. Hargittai and Palfrey offer practical advice and show that our stereotypes can be hurdles that keep us from building intergenerational support communities, helping loved ones adopt new technology that may improve their lives, and thriving together online.
 
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Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online
A surprising window into the online lives of people sixty and over—offering essential insights, no matter your age.


Many popular accounts say the older you are, the greater your tech struggles. And it’s worrying to think of loved ones emailing cringe-worthy misinformation, falling for phishing attacks, or becoming lonelier with increasing time spent online.  


But in their eye-opening book on the internet’s fastest-growing demographic, researchers Eszter Hargittai and John Palfrey offer a more nuanced picture—debunking common myths about older adults’ internet use to offer hope and a necessary call to action. Incorporating original interviews and survey results from thousands of people sixty and over, Wired Wisdom shows that many, in fact, use technology in ways that put younger peers to shame. Over-sixties are often nimble online and quicker to abandon social media platforms that don’t meet their needs. Despite being targeted more often, they also may be less likely to fall for scams than younger peers. And fake news actually fools fewer people over sixty, who have far more experience evaluating sources and detecting propaganda. Still, there are unseen risks and missed opportunities for this group. Hargittai and Palfrey offer practical advice and show that our stereotypes can be hurdles that keep us from building intergenerational support communities, helping loved ones adopt new technology that may improve their lives, and thriving together online.
 
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Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online

Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online

Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online

Wired Wisdom: How to Age Better Online

Hardcover(First Edition)

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Overview

A surprising window into the online lives of people sixty and over—offering essential insights, no matter your age.


Many popular accounts say the older you are, the greater your tech struggles. And it’s worrying to think of loved ones emailing cringe-worthy misinformation, falling for phishing attacks, or becoming lonelier with increasing time spent online.  


But in their eye-opening book on the internet’s fastest-growing demographic, researchers Eszter Hargittai and John Palfrey offer a more nuanced picture—debunking common myths about older adults’ internet use to offer hope and a necessary call to action. Incorporating original interviews and survey results from thousands of people sixty and over, Wired Wisdom shows that many, in fact, use technology in ways that put younger peers to shame. Over-sixties are often nimble online and quicker to abandon social media platforms that don’t meet their needs. Despite being targeted more often, they also may be less likely to fall for scams than younger peers. And fake news actually fools fewer people over sixty, who have far more experience evaluating sources and detecting propaganda. Still, there are unseen risks and missed opportunities for this group. Hargittai and Palfrey offer practical advice and show that our stereotypes can be hurdles that keep us from building intergenerational support communities, helping loved ones adopt new technology that may improve their lives, and thriving together online.
 

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780226823454
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Publication date: 07/09/2025
Edition description: First Edition
Pages: 272
Product dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Eszter Hargittai holds the Chair in Internet Use & Society in the Department of Communication and Media Research at the University of Zurich. She is the author or editor of five books, most recently Connected in Isolation: Digital Privilege in Unsettled Times.


John Palfrey is president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. He is the author or coauthor of several books, including Born Digital: How Children Grow Up in a Digital Age and The Connected Parent: An Expert Guide to Parenting in a Digital World. He is based in Chicago.

Table of Contents

1. Wired Wisdom
2. Adoption: Are Older People Less Likely to Use New Tech?
3. Support: How Do Over-Sixties Seek Help?
4. Safety and Security: The Greater the Age, the Easier the Target?
5. Privacy: What’s Worth the Price of Personal Data?
6. Misinformation: Why Do Skeptics Spread Fake News?
7. Well-Being: Does Tech Increase Loneliness?
8. Learning: Can New Tech Teach New Tricks?
9. Lessons—For Older Adults, Their Families, Friends, and Society
10. Top Ten Takeaways

Acknowledgments
Methodological Appendix
Notes
Bibliography
Index
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