Gender differences in Instant Messaging (IM) and associated online risks among older adults

Gender differences in Instant Messaging (IM) and associated online risks among older adults | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Short Report Gender differences in Instant Messaging (IM) and associated online risks among older adults Katarzyna Iwanicka, Anna Jupowicz-Ginalska, Martyna Dudziak-Kisio, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7724184/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract This study examines the engagement of older adults with instant messaging (IM) and the associated online risks, with a focus on gender differences. The findings indicate that while women primarily use IM to maintain relationships, men use it instrumentally and are more prone to risks, such as sexting and phishing. The research highlights the need for tailored digital literacy interventions to address these gender-specific vulnerabilities and promote safer online practices for older adults in an increasingly digitalized world. older adults instant messaging digital threats Introduction As societies continue to age (Giannakouris, 2008; European Commission, 2018) and everyday life becomes increasingly digitalized (Castells, 2010), a growing number of older adults use online communication tools, including instant messaging applications such as WhatsApp or Messenger. They play an essential role in maintaining social ties, especially in contexts of limited face-to-face contact, and their intuitive design facilitates adoption among older users (Hämmerle et al., 2020; Oliveira, Merlin, & Fülber, 2022). In recent years, there has been an apparent increase in the popularity of messaging platforms among older adults. In Poland, for example, 32.9% of individuals aged 60–74 reported using such applications in 2023, compared to 18.7% in 2020 (Statistics Poland, 2024). A similar trend is observable in other countries: in the United States, 18% of adults aged 65 and older have used WhatsApp at some point, and 59% have used Facebook, suggesting that Messenger is also part of their everyday digital communication (Pew Research Center, 2024). At the same time, the growing presence of older adults in digital environments brings new challenges. Messaging platforms pose various digital threats, including scams, phishing attempts, manipulation, and harassment (Kullgren et al., 2023; ConsumerAffairs, 2025). Due to that fact, recent literature emphasizes the need for a better understanding of older adults’ everyday technology use and their digital security (Kebede et al., 2022; Pacheco, 2024). Despite this, researchers rarely focus on how older adults experience different digital threats within messaging applications, which, as we have already underlined, have become significant parts of their lives. Therefore, this study aims to address this research gap by examining the specifics of instant messaging (IM) among older adults and identifying their experiences of digital threats in this environment. We are particularly interested in how older users perceive and interpret threatening or concerning situations, as well as how frequently they are exposed to such digital risks. Methods We conducted a nationwide online survey using the CAWI to a representative sample of 625 Polish internet users aged 60 and above. The questionnaire consisted of 75 closed-ended questions, grouped into thematic blocks. For this article, we focused on two blocks: (1) use of instant messaging platforms (e.g., frequency, purpose, contact types), and (2) experiences and perceptions of digital threats (including phishing, fake news, sexting, stalking, grooming, deepfakes, cyberbullying, hate speech, hacking, and data theft). We collected responses using single- and multiple-choice formats, as well as Likert-type scales. The survey was conducted in Polish, with translation of adapted scales validated by professional back-translation. Final data collection was conducted by the National Research Panel Ariadna, following a two-stage pretest and necessary revisions to ensure clarity and usability. Results The average age of our study’s participants was 70.31 years (with a range from 60 to 98 years). The majority was in the 60–69 age group (52.6%). Women made up the larger portion of the sample, accounting for 57.1%. Nearly half of the respondents (45.3%) attained higher education, more than half (53.4%) obtained secondary education (vocational and general), while only 1.3% completed only elementary education. About one-third of the seniors (31.2%) resided in rural areas, 26% in small and medium-sized towns (up to 100,000 residents), while the rest came from cities (over 100,000 residents). We performed a gender-centered analysis due to the notable disparities between male and female internet users. Furthermore, the previous data confirm the distinct differences in ICT usage among older men and women (Statistics Poland 2018, 2024). Reasons of IMU among older adults: gender-based analysis Since the data distribution did not meet the criterion of being fit to a normal distribution, we used the Mann-Whitney test to examine the reasons for IM among older adults (Table 1). The results confirmed gender differences, showing that senior women more frequently use IM to keep in touch with family (Z= -3,776; p<,001) and friends (Z= -3,059; p=,002), while men use IM to make new acquaintances (Z= -2,725; p=,006), and to kill boredom (Z= -2,249; p=,024). Table 1 Reasons for IM among older adults (n= 625; females=357, males = 268) Reasons for IM Gender Mean (M) Mann- Whitney Z (U) Significance level (p) To stay up-to-date Female Male 231,18 226,05 24938,5 ,451 ,652 To keep in touch with family Female Male 247,35 204,13 20686 -3,776 <,001 *** To communicate with friends Female Male 242,88 210,18 21859,5 -3,059 ,002 ** To make new acquaintances Female Male 215,07 247,89 21846,5 -2,725 ,006 ** To share photos and/or thoughts with others Female Male 237,19 217,90 23357 1,675 ,094 To search for various information Female Male 228,67 229,45 25423,5 -,067 ,947 To kill boredom Female Male 217,51 244,58 22488,50 -2,249 ,024* To avoid loneliness Female Male 226,32 232,64 24805 -,524 ,601 To be where one cannot be in person/live Female Male 234,17 221,99 24151,5 -1,059 ,289 To search for products one can buy Female Male 228,72 229,37 25438,5 -,054 ,957 To book tickets Female Male 229,65 228,12 25340 -,126 ,900 *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001 Exposure to online threats among older adults: gender-based analysis Next, we investigated the differences in exposure to online threats between older women and men. We also used the Mann-Whitney significance test. These results also confirmed the presence of gender differences among our participants (Table 2). Men were significantly more likely to be exposed to threats like sexting (Z= -3,142; p=,002), deep fakes (Z=-2,509; p=,012), phishing (Z= -3,510; p=, p<,001), hate speech (Z= -2,649; p=,008), cyberattacks (Z= -2,478 ; p=,012), and financial frauds (Z= -2,609; p=,009). Table 2 Exposure to online threats among older adults (n= 625; females=357, males = 268) Exposure to online threats Gender Mean (M) Mann- Whitney Z (U) Significance level (p) Sexting Female Male 295,56 336,23 41613,5 -3,142 ,002 ** Patostreaming Female Male 303,82 325,22 44562,5 -1,680 ,093 Fake news Female Male 302,90 326,46 44232 -1,759 ,079 Deep fakes Female Male 299,21 331,36 42916,5 -2,509 ,012 * Phishing Female Male 293,11 339,50 40735,5 -3,510 <,001 *** Grooming Female Male 305,22 323,37 45059 -1,616 ,106 Stalking Female Male 318,61 305,52 45833,5 -1,402 ,161 Cyberbullying Female Male 305,08 323,55 45010,5 -1,531 ,126 Hate speech Female Male 299,41 331,10 42986 -2,649 ,008 ** Cyberattacks Female Male 300,83 329,21 43492,5 -2,478 ,012 * Data theft Female Male 309,56 317,59 46608,5 -806 ,420 Financial frauds Female Male 300,09 330,20 43228,5 -2,609 ,009 ** *p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .001 Discussion The findings underscore two significant insights. First, older adults are not a digitally excluded demographic. As active participants of the digital ecosystem, they are exposed to many of the same challenges associated with digital communication technologies. Second, gender plays a crucial role in shaping both the motivations for instant messaging usage and the types of online risks individuals encounter. The data indicate that women predominantly use IM tools to maintain interpersonal relationships, particularly with family members and close friends. Their engagement with these platforms is relationally oriented and emotionally driven. In contrast, male respondents report utilizing IM tools more instrumentally, often to establish new connections or to alleviate boredom. This suggests a more exploratory or utilitarian approach to digital communication among men. Due to the limited availability of empirical studies addressing IM among older adults, we draw on research on younger populations for comparative insights. These studies indicate that women tend to prioritize maintaining existing social ties, often deriving a sense of emotional stability and social security from such interactions (Kimbrough et al., 2013). Digital communication serves as a medium for expressing care and maintaining contact, particularly in situations where face-to-face interaction is restricted. Conversely, men are more frequently associated with online entertainment-seeking behaviors, including participation in superficial or non-relationship-oriented activities. When forming new connections, male users often adopt a proactive and sometimes competitive stance, treating such interactions as achievements. This dynamic aligns with observed patterns of online risk behaviors. Importantly, these gendered patterns of IM appear to correlate with differential exposure to specific digital threats. For example, sexting emerged as a statistically significant risk more frequently among men. This is consistent with prior research indicating that men are more likely to initiate sexually explicit exchanges and may exhibit greater dependency on such interactions. Given that sexting often occurs in the early stages of new digital relationships, this behavior mirrors men’s more assertive engagement with unfamiliar contacts in IM contexts. Additionally, men reported higher exposure to phishing and cyberattacks, which are interconnected (Diaz et al., 2020). These findings may reflect a propensity among male users to act impulsively online, seek instant gratification, and engage in higher-risk behaviors, including the voluntary disclosure of sensitive personal information. This may also stem from the digital platforms’ policies which require data disclosure in exchange for access to services or content. Conclusion Older adults are fully integrated participants in the digital landscape. While their entry into this space occurred later than that of younger cohorts, the challenges they face are comparable in scope and complexity. However, the older population remains markedly understudied. Given the global trend of population ageing, there is a pressing need for further research that addresses the intersection of ageing, gender, and digital risk. Such work is essential for developing informed, inclusive, and effective digital education and policy frameworks. Given this, our study contributes novel empirical evidence to the limited body of research on digital behaviors among older adults. First, it demonstrates gender-specific motivations underlying IM use, with implications for digital literacy interventions and the development of targeted risk prevention strategies. Second, it highlights that IM engagement among older adults is not without consequence; this demographic—particularly older men—is demonstrably vulnerable to a range of online threats. Declarations Ethics approval The research protocol, covering both the nationwide CAWI survey and the focus group interviews, was reviewed and approved by the Rector’s Committee on Ethics of Research with Human Participation at the University of Warsaw, prior to data collection. Consent to participate Participants provided informed consent (electronic consent for the online survey; written consent before each focus group). Participation was voluntary, and participants could withdraw at any time without penalty. No minors were included (study population: adults aged 60+). Consent for publication All participants provided written informed consent for the publication of anonymized quotations from interviews/focus groups. Data Availability The data controller is the University of Warsaw. All materials obtained in the study (including signed informed-consent forms and defidentified transcripts) are stored at the Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies (WDIB), University of Warsaw, in a secure safe accessible only to Faculty authorities and authorized WDIB personnel, on an encrypted storage medium. Data will be retained for five (5) years solely for the purposes of this study (calculations, analyses, reporting, and evaluation) and will then be destroyed. Competing interests No, I declare that the authors have no competing interests as defined by BMC, or other interests that might be perceived to influence the results and/or discussion reported in this paper. Funding This work was supported by the “Social Seniors (In)inclusiveness of the digital world towards seniors and aging” project [PSP: 501-D127-20-0001390] under Measure 1.3.9,“Mobility and inequality through the prism of new digital data sources” within the framework of the Program, “Excellence Initiative - Research University” (University of Warsaw). Acknowledgements Not aplicable References Castells, M. (2010). The information age: Economy, society and culture. Vol. I: The rise of the network society (2nd ed.). Blackwell. ConsumerAffairs. “Elder financial abuse statistics 2025 [2024]” ConsumerAffairs.com. Jan. 24, 2024, https://www.consumeraffairs.com/finance/elderly-financial-scam-statistics.html Diaz, A., Sherman, A.T., & Joshi, A. (2020). Phishing in an academic community: A study of user susceptibility and behavior. Cryptologia , 44 (1), 53-67. https://doi.org/10.1080/01611194.2019.1623343 European Commission (2018). The 2018 Ageing Report: Policy challenges for ageing societies. https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/news/2018-ageing-report-policy-challenges-ageing-societies- 2018-05-25_en Giannakouris, K. (2008). Ageing characterises the demographic perspectives of the European societies (Statistics in Focus, 72/2008). Eurostat. http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu Hämmerle, V., Pauli, C., Braunwalder, R., & Misoch, S. (2020). WhatsApp’s influence on social relationships of older adults. In Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health (ICT4AWE 2020) (pp. 93–98). SCITEPRESS . https://doi.org/10.5220/0009470100930098 Kebede, A.S., Ozolins, L.-L., Holst, H., & Galvin, K. (2022). Digital engagement of older adults: Scoping review. Journal of Medical Internet Research , 24(12), e40192. https://doi.org/10.2196/40192 Kimbrough, A.M., Guadagno, R.E., Muscanell, N.L., & Dill, J. (2013). Gender differences in mediated communication: Women connect more than do men. Computers in human behavior , 29 (3), 896-900. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.12.005 Kullgren, J.T., Solway, E., Roberts, S., Singer, D., Kirch, M., Box, N., Smith, E., & Hutchens, L. (2023). National Poll on Healthy Aging: Experiences with scams among older adults [Report]. University of Michigan. https://dx.doi.org/10.7302/21735 Oliveira, R., Merlin, B., & Fülber, H. (2022). The Communicability of the Interaction of the Elderly User with the WhatsApp Application. In: Antona, M., & Stephanidis, C. (eds), Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Novel Design Approaches and Technologies . HCII 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 13308. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05028-2_21 Pacheco, E. (2024). Older adults’ safety and security online: a post‑pandemic exploration of attitudes and behaviors. Journal of Digital Media & Interaction , 7(17), 107–126. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2403.09208 Pew Research Center. (2024, June 10). Social Media Fact Sheet . Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/ Statistics Poland. (2018). Informacja o sytuacji osób starszych na podstawie badań Głównego Urzędu Statystycznego. GUS. Warszawa 2018. https://stat.gov.pl/obszary-tematyczne/osoby-starsze/osoby-starsze/informacja-o-sytuacji-osob-starszych-na-podstawie-badan-glownego-urzedu-statystycznego,1,2.html Statistics Poland. (2024). P opulation: Size and structure of population and vital statistics in territorial cross-section in 2024 . https://stat.gov.pl/obszary-tematyczne/ludnosc/ludnosc/ludnosc-stan-i-struktura-ludnosci-oraz-ruch-naturalny-w-przekroju-terytorialnym-w-2024-r-stan-w-dniu-30-06,6,37.html Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. 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They play an essential role in maintaining social ties, especially in contexts of limited face-to-face contact, and their intuitive design facilitates adoption among older users (Hämmerle et al., 2020; Oliveira, Merlin, \u0026amp; Fülber, 2022). In recent years, there has been an apparent increase in the popularity of messaging platforms among older adults. In Poland, for example, 32.9% of individuals aged 60–74 reported using such applications in 2023, compared to 18.7% in 2020 (Statistics Poland, 2024). A similar trend is observable in other countries: in the United States, 18% of adults aged 65 and older have used WhatsApp at some point, and 59% have used Facebook, suggesting that Messenger is also part of their everyday digital communication (Pew Research Center, 2024).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the same time, the growing presence of older adults in digital environments brings new challenges. Messaging platforms pose various digital threats, including scams, phishing attempts, manipulation, and harassment (Kullgren et al., 2023; ConsumerAffairs, 2025). Due to that fact, recent literature emphasizes the need for a better understanding of older adults’ everyday technology use and their digital security (Kebede et al., 2022; Pacheco, 2024). Despite this, researchers rarely focus on how older adults experience different digital threats within messaging applications, which, as we have already underlined, have become significant parts of their lives.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTherefore, this study aims to address this research gap by examining the specifics of instant messaging (IM) among older adults and identifying their experiences of digital threats in this environment. We are particularly interested in how older users perceive and interpret threatening or concerning situations, as well as how frequently they are exposed to such digital risks.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods ","content":"\u003cp\u003eWe conducted a nationwide online survey using the CAWI to a representative sample of 625 Polish internet users aged 60 and above. The questionnaire consisted of 75 closed-ended questions, grouped into thematic blocks. For this article, we focused on two blocks: (1) use of instant messaging platforms (e.g., frequency, purpose, contact types), and (2) experiences and perceptions of digital threats (including phishing, fake news, sexting, stalking, grooming, deepfakes, cyberbullying, hate speech, hacking, and data theft).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe collected responses using single- and multiple-choice formats, as well as Likert-type scales. The survey was conducted in Polish, with translation of adapted scales validated by professional back-translation. Final data collection was conducted by the National Research Panel Ariadna, following a two-stage pretest and necessary revisions to ensure clarity and usability.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results ","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe average age of our study\u0026rsquo;s participants was 70.31 years (with a range from 60 to 98 years). The majority was in the 60\u0026ndash;69 age group (52.6%). Women made up the larger portion of the sample, accounting for 57.1%. Nearly half of the respondents (45.3%) attained higher education, more than half (53.4%) obtained secondary education (vocational and general), while only 1.3% completed only elementary education. About one-third of the seniors (31.2%) resided in rural areas, 26% in small and medium-sized towns (up to 100,000 residents), while the rest came from cities (over 100,000 residents).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe performed a gender-centered analysis due to the notable disparities between male and female internet users. Furthermore, the previous data confirm the distinct differences in ICT usage among older men and women (Statistics Poland 2018, 2024).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReasons of IMU among older adults: gender-based analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince the data distribution did not meet the criterion of being fit to a normal distribution, we used the Mann-Whitney test to examine the reasons for IM among older adults (Table 1).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe results confirmed gender differences, showing that senior women more frequently use IM to keep in touch with family (Z= -3,776; p\u0026lt;,001) and friends (Z= -3,059; p=,002), while men use IM to make new acquaintances (Z= -2,725; p=,006), and to kill boredom (Z= -2,249; p=,024).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReasons for IM among older adults (n= 625; females=357, males = 268)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"604\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReasons for IM\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGender\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMean (M)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMann-\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhitney Z (U)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignificance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003elevel (p)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo stay up-to-date\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e231,18\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e226,05\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24938,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e,451 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,652\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo keep in touch with family\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e247,35\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e204,13\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e20686 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-3,776\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u0026lt;,001\u003c/strong\u003e***\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo communicate with friends\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e242,88\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e210,18\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e21859,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-3,059\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cstrong\u003e,002\u003c/strong\u003e**\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo make new acquaintances\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e215,07\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e247,89\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e21846,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-2,725\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cstrong\u003e,006\u003c/strong\u003e**\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo share photos and/or thoughts with others\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e237,19\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e217,90\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e23357 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1,675\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,094\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo search for various information\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e228,67\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e229,45\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25423,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;-,067\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,947\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo kill boredom\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e217,51\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e244,58\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e22488,50\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-2,249\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;,024*\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo avoid loneliness\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e226,32\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e232,64\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24805 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-,524 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,601\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo be where one\u0026nbsp;cannot be in person/live\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e234,17\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e221,99\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e24151,5 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-1,059\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,289\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo search for products one can buy\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e228,72\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e229,37\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25438,5 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-,054\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,957\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 264px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTo book tickets\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 72px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 64px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e229,65\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e228,12\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 121px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e25340 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-,126\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,900\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*p \u0026lt; .05. **p \u0026lt; .01. ***p \u0026lt; .001\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExposure to online threats among older adults: gender-based analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNext, we investigated the differences in exposure to online threats between older women and men. We also used the Mann-Whitney significance test.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese results also confirmed the presence of gender differences among our participants (Table 2). Men were significantly more likely to be exposed to threats like sexting (Z= -3,142; p=,002), deep fakes (Z=-2,509; p=,012), phishing (Z= -3,510; p=, p\u0026lt;,001), hate speech (Z= -2,649; p=,008), cyberattacks (Z= -2,478 ; p=,012), and financial frauds (Z= -2,609; p=,009).\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;Exposure to online threats among older adults (n= 625; females=357, males = 268)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" width=\"604\" class=\"fr-table-selection-hover\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExposure to online threats\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGender\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMean (M)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMann-\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhitney\u0026nbsp;Z (U)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignificance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003elevel (p)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSexting\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e295,56\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e336,23\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e41613,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-3,142 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cstrong\u003e,002\u003c/strong\u003e**\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePatostreaming\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e303,82\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e325,22\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44562,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-1,680 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,093\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFake news\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e302,90\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e326,46\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e44232 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-1,759\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,079\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDeep fakes\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e299,21\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e331,36\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e42916,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-2,509\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cstrong\u003e,012\u003c/strong\u003e*\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhishing\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e293,11\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e339,50\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e40735,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-3,510\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026lt;,001\u003c/strong\u003e***\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrooming\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e305,22\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e323,37\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45059 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-1,616\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,106\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStalking\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e318,61\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e305,52\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45833,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-1,402\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,161\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCyberbullying\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e305,08\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e323,55\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e45010,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-1,531 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,126\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHate speech\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e299,41\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e331,10\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e42986 \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-2,649\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;,008\u003c/strong\u003e**\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCyberattacks\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300,83\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e329,21\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43492,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-2,478\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u0026nbsp;,012\u003c/strong\u003e*\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData theft\u003c/strong\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e309,56\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e317,59\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e46608,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-806\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;,420\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 217px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFinancial frauds\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 85px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 95px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e300,09\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e330,20\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 123px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e43228,5\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-2,609\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd style=\"width: 84px;\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003cstrong\u003e,009\u003c/strong\u003e** \u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e*p \u0026lt; .05. **p \u0026lt; .01. ***p \u0026lt; .001\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe findings underscore two significant insights. First, older adults are not a digitally excluded demographic. As active participants of the digital ecosystem, they are exposed to many of the same challenges associated with digital communication technologies. Second, gender plays a crucial role in shaping both the motivations for instant messaging usage and the types of online risks individuals encounter.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data indicate that women predominantly use IM tools to maintain interpersonal relationships, particularly with family members and close friends. Their engagement with these platforms is relationally oriented and emotionally driven. In contrast, male respondents report utilizing IM tools more instrumentally, often to establish new connections or to alleviate boredom. This suggests a more exploratory or utilitarian approach to digital communication among men.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDue to the limited availability of empirical studies addressing IM among older adults, we draw on research on younger populations for comparative insights. These studies indicate that women tend to prioritize maintaining existing social ties, often deriving a sense of emotional stability and social security from such interactions (Kimbrough et al., 2013). Digital communication serves as a medium for expressing care and maintaining contact, particularly in situations where face-to-face interaction is restricted. Conversely, men are more frequently associated with online entertainment-seeking behaviors, including participation in superficial or non-relationship-oriented activities. When forming new connections, male users often adopt a proactive and sometimes competitive stance, treating such interactions as achievements. This dynamic aligns with observed patterns of online risk behaviors.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImportantly, these gendered patterns of IM appear to correlate with differential exposure to specific digital threats. For example, sexting emerged as a statistically significant risk more frequently among men. This is consistent with prior research indicating that men are more likely to initiate sexually explicit exchanges and may exhibit greater dependency on such interactions. Given that sexting often occurs in the early stages of new digital relationships, this behavior mirrors men’s more assertive engagement with unfamiliar contacts in IM contexts. Additionally, men reported higher exposure to phishing and cyberattacks, which are interconnected (Diaz et al., 2020). These findings may reflect a propensity among male users to act impulsively online, seek instant gratification, and engage in higher-risk behaviors, including the voluntary disclosure of sensitive personal information. This may also stem from the digital platforms’ policies which require data disclosure in exchange for access to services or content.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eOlder adults are fully integrated participants in the digital landscape. While their entry into this space occurred later than that of younger cohorts, the challenges they face are comparable in scope and complexity. However, the\u0026nbsp;older population remains markedly understudied. Given the global trend of population ageing, there is a pressing need for further research that addresses the intersection of ageing, gender, and digital risk. Such work is essential for developing informed, inclusive, and effective digital education and policy frameworks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGiven this, our study contributes novel empirical evidence to the limited body of research on digital behaviors among older adults. First, it demonstrates gender-specific motivations underlying IM use, with implications for digital literacy interventions and the development of targeted risk prevention strategies. Second, it highlights that IM engagement among older adults is not without consequence; this demographic—particularly older men—is demonstrably vulnerable to a range of online threats.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe research protocol, covering both the nationwide CAWI survey and the focus group interviews, was reviewed and approved by the Rector\u0026rsquo;s Committee on Ethics of Research with Human Participation at the University of Warsaw, prior to data collection.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants provided informed consent (electronic consent for the online survey; written consent before each focus group). Participation was voluntary, and participants could withdraw at any time without penalty. No minors were included (study population: adults aged 60+).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll participants provided written informed consent for the publication of anonymized quotations from interviews/focus groups.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData Availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data controller is the University of Warsaw. All materials obtained in the study (including signed informed-consent forms and defidentified transcripts) are stored at the Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies (WDIB), University of Warsaw, in a secure safe accessible only to Faculty authorities and authorized WDIB personnel, on an encrypted storage medium. Data will be retained for five (5) years solely for the purposes of this study (calculations, analyses, reporting, and evaluation) and will then be destroyed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNo, I declare that the authors have no competing interests as defined by BMC, or other interests that might be perceived to influence the results and/or discussion reported in this paper.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis work was supported by the \u0026ldquo;Social Seniors (In)inclusiveness of the digital world towards seniors and aging\u0026rdquo; project [PSP: 501-D127-20-0001390] under Measure 1.3.9,\u0026ldquo;Mobility and inequality through the prism of new digital data sources\u0026rdquo; within the framework of the Program, \u0026ldquo;Excellence Initiative - Research University\u0026rdquo; (University of Warsaw).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot aplicable\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCastells, M. (2010). \u003cem\u003eThe information age: Economy, society and culture. Vol. I: The rise of the network society\u003c/em\u003e (2nd ed.). Blackwell. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConsumerAffairs. \u0026ldquo;Elder financial abuse statistics 2025 [2024]\u0026rdquo; ConsumerAffairs.com. Jan. 24, 2024, https://www.consumeraffairs.com/finance/elderly-financial-scam-statistics.html\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiaz, A., Sherman, A.T., \u0026amp; Joshi, A. (2020). Phishing in an academic community: A study of user susceptibility and behavior. \u003cem\u003eCryptologia\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e44\u003c/em\u003e(1), 53-67. https://doi.org/10.1080/01611194.2019.1623343\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEuropean Commission (2018). \u003cem\u003eThe 2018 Ageing Report: Policy challenges for ageing societies.\u003c/em\u003e https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/news/2018-ageing-report-policy-challenges-ageing-societies- 2018-05-25_en \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGiannakouris, K. (2008). \u003cem\u003eAgeing characterises the demographic perspectives of the European societies \u003c/em\u003e(Statistics in Focus, 72/2008). \u003cu\u003eEurostat. \u003c/u\u003ehttp://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu\u003cu\u003e \u003c/u\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eH\u0026auml;mmerle, V., Pauli, C., Braunwalder, R., \u0026amp; Misoch, S. (2020). WhatsApp\u0026rsquo;s influence on social relationships of older adults. In Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies for Ageing Well and e-Health (ICT4AWE 2020) (pp. 93\u0026ndash;98). \u003cem\u003eSCITEPRESS\u003c/em\u003e. https://doi.org/10.5220/0009470100930098 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKebede, A.S., Ozolins, L.-L., Holst, H., \u0026amp; Galvin, K. (2022). 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In: Antona, M., \u0026amp; Stephanidis, C. (eds), \u003cem\u003eUniversal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Novel Design Approaches and Technologies\u003c/em\u003e. HCII 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 13308. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05028-2_21 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePacheco, E. (2024). Older adults\u0026rsquo; safety and security online: a post‑pandemic exploration of attitudes and behaviors. \u003cem\u003eJournal of Digital Media \u0026amp; Interaction\u003c/em\u003e, 7(17), 107\u0026ndash;126. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2403.09208 \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePew Research Center. (2024, June 10). \u003cem\u003eSocial Media Fact Sheet\u003c/em\u003e. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/ \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStatistics Poland. (2018). Informacja o sytuacji os\u0026oacute;b starszych na podstawie badań Gł\u0026oacute;wnego Urzędu Statystycznego. GUS. Warszawa 2018. https://stat.gov.pl/obszary-tematyczne/osoby-starsze/osoby-starsze/informacja-o-sytuacji-osob-starszych-na-podstawie-badan-glownego-urzedu-statystycznego,1,2.html \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStatistics Poland. (2024). P\u003cem\u003eopulation: Size and structure of population and vital statistics in territorial cross-section in 2024\u003c/em\u003e. https://stat.gov.pl/obszary-tematyczne/ludnosc/ludnosc/ludnosc-stan-i-struktura-ludnosci-oraz-ruch-naturalny-w-przekroju-terytorialnym-w-2024-r-stan-w-dniu-30-06,6,37.html \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"older adults, instant messaging, digital threats","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7724184/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7724184/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"This study examines the engagement of older adults with instant messaging (IM) and the associated online risks, with a focus on gender differences. 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