We Worry About Kids’ Screen Time, but Our Parents Spend Even More Time Online. What That Means for Families

We are usually concerned about screen time when it comes to children and teenagers. But in many families, something else is happening: grandparents are now spending more time on screens than the young.

The difference is that, unlike with kids, we don't keep an eye on them; we don't know how much time they spend on their devices or what they are doing online until something goes wrong.

The numbers show how quickly things have changed. Pew Research Center* found in 2024 that 98% of people ages 50–64 and 90% of adults 65+ are online, a huge increase compared with just a few years ago. According to Ofcom’s data, adults over 65 now spend more than three hours a day on smartphones, tablets, and computers. That’s about half as much as 18–24-year-olds, but once you add TV into the mix, older adults actually end up with more total screen time.

For many seniors, this is a good thing. Screens make life easier, more independent, and more connected. But they also bring risks that families often don’t notice until something is off: changes in behavior, missed bills, or unfamiliar contacts in their friends' lists.

This article looks at both sides: what screens give, what they take away, the possible dangers, and how to help older loved ones stay safe.

How do elderly people use the internet in 2026?

Today’s seniors are embracing smartphones, video calls, and online services. According to AARP, the average online older adult now owns around seven devices: smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, e-readers, and even smartwatches.

Once they’re online, they use the internet for many everyday tasks, including:
• browsing and reading (81%)
• staying in touch with family and friends (80%)
• shopping (79%)
• maps, directions, and navigation (76%)
• checking the weather (76%)
• social media (74%)
• taking and storing photos (73%)
• banking and money management (65%)

Social media plays a bigger role than many people expect. YouTube is the clear favourite, with 88% of adults aged 55+ using it every week. Facebook still has a strong hold as well, with around 59–72% of adults over 50 using the platform, depending on the study. Instagram is also growing quickly in this age group, with about one in three seniors now using it. And roughly one in five older adults uses platforms like WhatsApp, Pinterest, or LinkedIn.

Risks Worth Knowing About

Screen time itself isn’t the only problem. What really matters is how someone uses their devices and how exposed they are to what happens online.

These are the main risks families should be aware of and to help protect the people they love.

1. Scams and financial fraud

Most older adults use WhatsApp, email, SMS, and Facebook every day to stay in touch with family and friends. Unfortunately, these are the same places scammers use to find new victims.

Some of the most common scams include:

• fake delivery or package messages
• criminals pretending to be a family member in trouble, often with urgent WhatsApp requests for money
• fake customer support from banks, big companies, or “Microsoft technicians” calling out of the blue
• “once-in-a-lifetime” investment offers and crypto scams
• malicious links hidden inside news clips, forwarded videos, or chain messages

Because many older adults have their bank accounts linked to their phones or tablets, one wrong tap can quickly turn into a real financial crisis for the whole family.

2. Romance scams

Older adults who live alone or feel isolated are especially vulnerable to romance scams.

It is normal to desire companionship, but when it’s combined with unfamiliarity with online red flags, or simply the hope that this connection is real, it becomes easy to fall into a scammer's trap.

Beyond financial loss, scams can erode trust and peace in the family. and leave victims feeling isolated.

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3. Misinformation and doom-scrolling

Older adults read more online news than any other age group. That also means greater exposure to a constant stream of alarming headlines, fake news, manipulated videos, and misleading posts that make the world feel unsafe.

Doom-scrolling may be becoming a problem if someone seems constantly on edge, checks breaking news many times a day, struggles to sleep after reading frightening stories, repeats claims that aren’t true, or starts avoiding social activities because “things feel too dangerous.”

4. Sleep and lifestyle changes

Older adults often adopt the same nighttime scrolling habits as younger people, sleep becomes lighter, and mornings feel more tiring than they should. Before smartphones and constant online access, daily life often included meaningful routines that supported health: gardening, walking to the shop, visiting a neighbor, going to hobby clubs, taking part in community activities, or simply spending time outdoors.

Screens can slowly replace those moments. They’re comforting and familiar, especially when mobility becomes harder. But when they start replacing activities that once brought routine, purpose, and connection, they can disrupt mood, sleep, mobility, and overall well-being.

Digital dementia. Myth or reality?

There’s a lot of talk online about “digital dementia”, the idea that too much screen time weakens memory and concentration. For families, this can sound frightening, especially if they’re already worried about the cognitive health of their loved ones.

But when it comes to older adults, the picture is more complicated and in many ways, more reassuring. Newer research suggests that screens may not harm the aging brain in the way many people assume. A large meta-analysis published in April 2025, which pooled data from more than 400,000 older adults, found that people over 50 who regularly use digital devices actually show lower rates of cognitive decline than those who don’t.

This doesn’t mean screens improve memory or protect against dementia. It may simply be that people who are already mentally sharp are more likely to use digital devices. Still, the findings challenge the idea that screen use automatically damages the brain in later life.

This is different from children and teenagers, whose developing brains are more vulnerable to excessive screen time and its effects on attention, sleep, and mental health.

So while screen time should still be balanced at any age, the evidence suggests that for seniors, digital use is not as harmful as we thought, and in some cases, it may even support mental engagement.

When Screen Time Becomes a Warning Sign

It’s worth paying closer attention if you notice sudden financial worries or unexplained payments, growing anxiety, changes in sleep, or a clear withdrawal from social life, which, in some cases, can point to an ongoing romance scam.

In other situations, older adults may become fixated on alarming news, go outside far less than they used to, or seem overwhelmed or confused by the things they come across online.

How Families Can Support Elderly Loved Ones Online

Start with a few simple, practical steps:

• Sit down together and create simple shortcuts: a trusted news app, a clear video‑call button, and a safe, easy‑to‑use browser

• Put a video-call app somewhere easy to find, so staying in touch never feels complicated.
• Show them what a real scam message looks like and talk through what to do if one ever shows up.
• Go through privacy settings together so everything feels manageable, not overwhelming.
• Show them how to block numbers, report spam, and recognize the patterns scammers use again and again.
• Make sure their devices run protective software that works quietly in the background.

Bitdefender Family Plans tailor protection by role — children, teens, adults, and grandparents — so everyone gets appropriate security without losing independence.

With a Family Plan, seniors continue using their phone or computer as usual, but if something risky shows up, such as a malicious link, a scam attempt, or a serious security alert, you can help them, even from a distance.

Find out more about your family safety plan, here.