Social media helps us get information and stay in touch, although it can also be a tool to spread disinformation. For boomers, who grew up in part before the internet, social media use is very different from that of younger generations.
Boomers tend to use social media more to keep in touch with families and friends and to share personal content. How do you use social media? This article will highlight platforms boomers typically use and talk about keeping healthy boundaries and using social media to support your active retirement and hobbies.
Social Media Platforms Used by Boomers
Boomers tend to use older platforms, in part because people stay with what they know. The most popular platforms used by boomers are:
The majority of boomers use Facebook, and most use it as their only social media platform. Even people who don’t like being online often have a Facebook account. According to Forbes, in 2017, 9% of Facebook users were 55 and above, and more retirees were using the platform than teenagers according to Forbes. This has likely shifted further, with more and more young people moving away from Facebook. In the Netherlands, 75% of baby boomers regularly use Facebook!
Baby boomers who are still working often have a presence on LinkedIn, the social media platform designed entirely for professional networking. Many leave the network when they retire, although often without taking down their account. However, Statista states that only 3.8% of LinkedIn’s users are over 55.
Twitter/X
Twitter/X, with its firehose of information, is less popular with boomers, but they are more likely to retain a presence there and, again, more likely than teenagers. 7% of Twitter’s users are 50 or older, including both boomers and Gen-X.
Most boomers are only on these platforms…and potentially missing out!
Newer Platforms To Consider
The social media landscape has proliferated lately, with some platforms simply not taking off, but others are definitely worth checking out.
Instagram is specifically designed to share photos and memes. If you like sharing pictures, then Instagram is a great place for you. You can post everything from pictures of your grandkids to your last vacation to that viral meme you can’t stop laughing at. It’s also being used by more and more businesses to share interesting content.
Instagram Reels allows for video posting too.
Threads
Threads is Meta’s answer to X and is integrated into Facebook. It has a similar interface to X and a similar rapid scroll, but it makes a good alternative to Twitter/X if you are finding it a less happy place to be.
TikTok
Despite the political arguments over TikTok, it’s still available in the U.S., for now. The video sharing platform is most popular with teenagers and twenty-somethings, and does take some getting used to. Posts take the form of short videos. So, if you aren’t comfortable talking on camera, it’s probably not for you. But it’s a great place to share short, funny videos.
Bluesky
Bluesky is the new kid on the block. Structurally very similar to Twitter but with very different algorithmic feeds, the platform took off at the start of 2025. Unlike older platforms, Bluesky has a very even age distribution, with 10% of users being 65 or older and 18% between 55 and 64. It’s similar to Twitter but has a more distributed algorithm and shows you more from your actual circle.
Using Social Media in a Healthy Way
Social media helps you stay in touch with distant friends or family, find out information, and even get ideas for travel. However, it’s easy to fall into unhealthy usage patterns. Some things to consider:
Verify Information
Social media algorithms are based on traffic. You will often see intriguing headlines or people posting news stories. Don’t rely on social media for your news. If you see something, check it. A lot of those “interesting headlines” are clickbait or, worse, outrage bait designed to make you angry about something. Social media hoaxes are also common, often involving celebrity deaths.
Avoid Doomscrolling
Doomscrolling is a word that was coined recently to refer to spending excessive time looking through news or other content that makes you feel miserable. Yes, it’s a real word now, in the dictionary and everything. If you find yourself just scrolling through social media and it all seems bad, take a break or go looking for cat videos instead.
Don’t tell yourself you’re actually “hopescrolling” or that you need to know. Take a break.
Use the Block Button
Social media platforms have block and mute buttons for a reason. If a total stranger on social media is making you angry or upset, block them. It’s more challenging when it’s family, but blocking early and often is a good way to maintain your sanity.
In converse, don’t worry about people blocking you. They will. Unless it’s somebody you know, it’s not personal.
Click on the Good Stuff
As Psychology Today points out social media algorithms show you more of what you’ve looked at in the past. Intentionally click on stuff that looks fun, including those cat videos. As a result, your feed will become more positive over time. Especially on fast platforms like X and Bluesky, follow people who make you feel good, post cute pictures, etc.
Use Social Media to Support Your Real Life
The best way to use social media, overall, is to support your real life, rather than supplant it. Stay in touch with somebody who now lives three states away! Most of all, consider using social media to improve your active retirement.
You can use it to set up meetings with friends and family, both face-to-face and online. But social media is also a fantastic way to find out about retirement locations, travel locations, and hobbies. Ask on social media about the best place to go hiking in June, and your only problem will be sorting through the suggestions. Facebook is particularly useful for travel and retirement locations because many resorts have their own pages and, in some cases, groups that you can check out.
Boomers on social media can also find people who share their interests, whether they’re local or not. For example, if you’re struggling to find a crochet group in your area, use social media to find one that meets over video and uses social media to trade patterns.
Social media has its uses, but make sure to keep boundaries and avoid doomscrolling. Always think of it as a way to improve your real life and friendships, not a substitute for them, and consider new and interesting platforms that allow you to share information in fun ways.
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