Sure, the internet might be destroying human civilization as we know it. And those who pull the strings behind the scenes seem to be actively trying to destroy the internet itself. But at least it’s keeping elderly people’s brains young-ish and elastic-y!
According to research published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, scientists dug through data from nearly 10,000 old folks as part of the China Health Retirement and Longitudinal Study.
They split participants into two groups: the “digital inclusion” group, who used the internet for chatting, streaming, reading, and gaming, and the “digital exclusion” group, which was made up of old folks who were not online at all.
They found that the internet users showed sharper cognitive abilities and fewer signs of severe depression. They also seemed to have better executive function and memory recall.
The Internet Melts Young Brains, but Might Actually Help the Elderly
These folks weren’t necessarily happy-happy; they were walking around without a care in the world. They were still prone to bouts of gloominess. But they were less likely to spiral into the darker depths of depression than their offline counterparts.
The researchers admit that it’s unclear whether the internet is making people sharper or if those who are already mentally sharper are just more likely to get online—a classic chicken or the egg scenario.
Either way, the researchers didn’t seem interested in figuring out that if older people on the internet are mentally sharper, why do they think every AI video on Facebook is real?
The internet is, unfortunately, still a place where you can quite easily ruin your life. Elderly users are more vulnerable to scams and misinformation. Just because Grandma figured out how to use Facebook doesn’t mean she’s immune to Facebook’s Carnival of Internet horrors.
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