Growing Old Online: Privacy, Trust, and Participation in the Digital Public Sphere
Growing Old Online: Privacy, Trust, and Participation in the Digital Public Sphere

Author(s): Ivana Vidak Teskera
Subject(s): Media studies, Sociology, Gerontology, ICT Information and Communications Technologies
Published by: Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku, Ekonomski fakultet u Osijeku
Keywords: digital communication; privacy; trust; older people; data protection;
Summary/Abstract: The digital transformation of contemporary media communication has profoundly reshaped how citizens access information, exercise their right to privacy, and negotiate trust in digital environments. While digital platforms and social media offer older people new opportunities for social participation and connection, they simultaneously expose them to heightened risks related to privacy, personal data protection, and manipulative communication practices. Due to lower levels of digital literacy, reduced familiarity with privacy settings, and limited awareness of data protection mechanisms, older users constitute a particularly vulnerable group within the digital public sphere. This chapter examines how digital environments shape perceptions of privacy, data protection, and trust, with specific emphasis on the experiences and practices of individuals aged 60 and above. Grounded in an interdisciplinary framework that integrates communication theory, media ethics, and data protection regulation, the study investigates how older adults navigate digital communication spaces, how they interpret privacy-related messages conveyed through platforms and interfaces, and how these practices influence their sense of security, participation, and inclusion. Using an empirical approach based on a structured survey conducted among members of the 60+ population, the study explores patterns of social media use, perceived risks, levels of awareness of privacy rights, and the relationship between communication transparency and trust in digital media. Special attention is given to challenges such as recognizing deceptive content, understanding privacy policies, managing personal data, and responding to potential privacy violations. By situating older adults within the broader communication-ethical and regulatory context of digital media, the findings contribute to the development of targeted digital literacy strategies, inclusive public policies, and communication models that promote safe, autonomous, and active online participation in later life. The results also provide empirically grounded insights that support refining the doctoral research framework and its hypotheses on communication practices, trust formation, and privacy in the digital age.

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