文章名：Seniors’ overuse of digital products sparks concerns

作者：Bi Mengying

受访专家：汕头市爱家心理研究所理事长

                    中国心理卫生协会注册心理咨询师   马健文

"My dad doesn't know why, but he particularly enjoys watching videos of funeral processions with suona [an oboe-like traditional Chinese solo musical instrument] music," 27-year-old Bao Xiuhuan from Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, told the Global Times.

The algorithm of these short-video platforms just kept showing such videos to him. He plays them while eating, with the volume cranked all the way up. He suffers from age-related insomnia, so he watches them at night too, shared Bao, noting this not only isn't good for his father's hearing but also causes trouble for the rest of the family.

"The screen brightness is almost at the highest setting, and the volume is quite loud. The rest of the family can't rest well. When we talk to him about it to stop watching such videos, he gets upset," said Bao.

While the term "internet-addicted teenager" may be far more familiar, "internet-addicted senior" has become more prominent in China recently, causing concern about the impact of internet addiction on the mental health, behavior, and acuity of the age group.

Rising issues

Data from QuestMobile shows that the average monthly internet usage time among seniors is 129 hours, with short videos taking the lead at 35.1 percent of total usage time, reported the Xinhua News Agency on Monday.

When Bao shared a post on Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, ­recounting his experience trying to help his father quit internet addiction, hundreds of netizens joined the discussion in the comment section.

Some netizens noted that their parents are obsessed with scrolling through short videos, watching micro-dramas, and listening to audiobooks late into the night with little time for sleep. And some complained that their parents trust the livestreamers more than their children, buying various low-quality health products.

According to a report by CCTV News, in Heze, East China's Shandong Province, a 70-year-old lady went to the hospital for an eye check-up due to blurry vision, only to find out she had ­2,300-degree myopia. Her granddaughter said that both grandparents start their day with their phones and keep using them until midnight. At an age when seniors are most likely to develop presbyopia, the grandmother ended up with severe myopia instead.

In addition to physical health, internet addition among seniors is also posing challenges to their mental health and even family relationships.

A Xiaohongshu user with the handle "Fighting Little Bird" posted seeking help, explaining that her 60-year-old mother is addicted to scrolling through short video platforms and watching livestreamers, and has fallen victim to some scams, believing in fake lottery wins.

When the woman's children stopped her from transferring money to the fraudsters, she called the police. Even when the police explained that it was a scam, she refused to listen. In an effort to stop her from continuing to fall for these livestreaming scams, her children turned off the Wi-Fi at home, but she went around telling neighbors that her children were unfilial and treating her poorly, read the post.

Addressing the challenge

Bao posted a tutorial on Xiaohongshu on how to help seniors at home break their internet addiction, which included instructions on how to activate "minor mode" on applications, volume detection, and set reminders for screen time.

"I received many responses from netizens, which made me realize that I'm not the only one troubled by this. Many netizens, like me, are also very concerned about their parents regarding this issue," Bao told the Global Times.

Loneliness and social isolation brought about by the change of social roles, especially after retirement, may be the main reason for this issue. For some seniors, cognitive decline and neurological changes might also be contributing factors, Ma Jianwen, a registered counselor of the China Association for Mental Health, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Bao hoped that mobile phone manufacturers will improve "senior mode" and short video platforms will strengthen video quality supervision and adjust their algorithms to show more positive, educational content to the senior population.

At the other end of the spectrum, there are some seniors lacking the knowledge on how to use smartphones, including basic operations, WeChat, QR code scanning, and even how to watch short videos.

As early as 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the "General Design Specifications for Age-Friendly Mobile Internet Applications," stressing "human-centered user interaction, providing age-friendly and barrier-free services.

To address the issue related to the "internet-addicted senior," Ma proposed that children provide more company to their parents. Parents can also be encouraged to develop hobbies.

"Communities and social organizations should play a role in offering programs like interest classes, health lectures, and recreational activities to provide more offline social and entertainment opportunities for seniors. They can also strengthen senior network security education to prevent seniors from unknowingly becoming addicted to the internet," Ma said.

When a senior person's internet addiction has become severe enough to disrupt their daily routine, it may be necessary to take them to see a geriatric psychologist or a mental health professional, Ma further noted.

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