How Do Italian Seniors Use Facebook?
The team DataMind from the University of Padua, Italy, explored how Italians aged 60+ use Facebook and what drives their engagement.
The topic was so well executed that the Team was awarded in the Curiosity Cup 2025 competition in all three categories, became a winner of the Data Presentation category, and a runner-up in both, Data Preparation and Data Analysis categories.
Using a structured online survey distributed via Meta ads, they gathered 652 valid responses between 13th and 20th August 2024. They analyzed them with the SAS OnDemand for Academics software via Exploratory Analysis and Multivariate Analysis.
Among their key findings are:
- WhatsApp is the most popular platform, but 40% use Facebook mainly to connect with friends and family.
- Age, digital learning style, and recent adoption of mobile internet all influence how seniors use Facebook.
- Meta ads are effective for reaching digitally active seniors, but may miss those less engaged online.
- Advanced weighting methods, especially those including digital skills, are crucial for representative research.
- The study highlights the importance of tailored digital inclusion strategies for an aging society.
Very well done, Team DataMind!
Giorgia Bernardinis, Sophie Grace Parolin, and their Faculty Advisor Margherita Silan.
See their paper in full extent as a PDF under the headline of this article.
