Patterns of social media use across age groups during the COVID-19 pandemic: a study across four countries
Bonsaksen, Tore; Thygesen, Hilde; Leung, Janni; Lamph, Gary; Kabelenga, Isaac; Geirdal, Amy Østertun
Peer reviewed, Journal article
Published version
Date
2024Metadata
Show full item recordCollections
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine patterns of social media use across age groups in
four countries (Norway, USA, UK, and Australia) two years after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak,
and whether types of use and time spent using social media was related to health worries. A cross-
sectional online survey was completed by 1578 adult participants. The data were analysed with
one-way analyses of variance and a linear regression analysis. Younger people spent more time on
and were more likely to be passive users of social media than older people. Motives for social media
use, and perceived effects of using social media, varied by participants’ age. Passive social media use
and more time spent using social media were related to higher levels of health worries. Thus, an age
perspective is relevant for understanding patterns of social media use, and different types of social
media use appear to be differently related to health worries.