The Use of New Media Technologies by Youth and Seniors. Research report

The Internet and new media have become an integral part of everyday life for many people, regardless of age or social status. Young people and senior citizens are two important social groups affected by the development of media technologies, although often in very different ways. People belonging to different social categories may use new technologies in significantly different ways and have different problems related to their everyday use. Therefore, the aim of the analysis in the following sections is to identify the characteristics and ways in which young people and seniors use new media technologies. The analyses of the empirical material obtained in the face-to-face interviews aimed to answer the following research questions: (RQ1) What are the ways, characteristics and problems associated with the use of new media technologies by contemporary users? (RQ2) What are the peculiarities of the use of new media technologies by young people? (RQ3) What are the peculiarities of the use of new media technologies by older people? The results of the research indicate that the ways, characteristics and problems of using media technologies are rarely shared between older and younger people, as significant discrepancies are usually revealed. In particular, the observation of the specifics of the use of new media technologies by young people indicates that for them it is a tool that is indispensable for their daily personal, social and educational needs (permanent connection). Seniors, on the other hand, recognise the benefits of technology, but at the same time value life beyond the screen.