Social networks are no longer the exclusive domain of young adults and teenagers. More and more older people, even seniors, are making their way into the world of content creators and internet celebrities. Nicole Tounelle, Studio Danielle, jeunevieillispas, Sylvienfinmoi or Seniors en mop, are some representatives of this age category, present on Instagram and YouTube for the most part. Numerama journalist Juliette Devaux analyzed this trend. According to her, these influencers do a disservice to people who need to understand that the body ends up aging and undergoes transformations that are difficult to live with and take.
The “pro-age washing” or how not to normalize the transformations of the body
Their stated strategy is to advocate for a more positive approach to old age, but in reality, these influencers seem instead to want to escape the “downsides” of old age, offering advice on how to do so. The image conveyed by these models to follow is that of elderly people who do not allow themselves to be affected by the passage of time, and who want to be valued on the same criteria as younger influencers on social networks: dynamism, a sense of the adventure, the discovery, or the culture of the image and the physical aspect.
More stereotypes?
Social networks and social pressure are sometimes a dangerous cocktail for the mental health of those who seek advice on these platforms, whether they are elderly or not. We find this risk in the case of mothers, for example. According to a recent Ifop study, 55% of mothers interviewed turn to these channels to find information about motherhood. This has, in a third of the cases, negative effects because of the stereotypical “advice” of the superficial image. According to the survey, on social networks, the advice given by other mothers tends to make women feel guilty: 33% of mothers who use social networks find that information from other mothers tends to hurt them more only good. It is therefore the same problem for seniors, who are under pressure from older influencers, but very dynamic, sporty and beautiful, according to the superficial standards of social networks.