Manifestation of ageism in social media during COVID-19 pandemic: Youtube analysis

In this study, research has been done on Youtube in order to understand how ageism manifested in social media during Covid-19 pandemic and how it affected the perception of ageing and older adults in the society. Thus, a discourse analysis for Youtube content was made in order to discover and unravel ageist attitudes on social media and in society during the Covid-19 pandemic. The question of 'Why did ageism and the stigmatization of older adults on social media escalate during Covid-19 pandemic?' was researched and Youtube content was discoursed in order to discover and explain ageist attitudes and stereotypes in Youtube videos and comments section. According to findings, most of the social media content on Youtube displayed ageist attitudes and behaviour with false information, humiliating older adults and user content making fun of older people. As findings revealed hate speech and criminalising along with scapegoating the aged was exacerbated on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with it, implicit ageism was also discovered at the discourse of some positive attitudes towards older adults. Also, findings showed that older adults 100 and over are marginalised in terms of media speech. At the comments section, hate speech, anger and curse against older adults was observed. Those negative attitudes on social media during Covid-19 pandemic had an impact on society's perception of the aged and thus reproduced ageism. At times hate speech was transformed into hate crimes, violence and abuse of the aged persons. In the long run, this might have serious sociological outcome and negative effect on intergenerational relations. It was majorly caused by identifiying aging with death and accusing the aged for spreading the virus. Ageism described as a combination of prejudice against older adults and the process of ageing itself; explains the increased ageism and hate speech against older adults on social media during Covid-19 pandemic. As a result of the study, chaotic conditions of Covid-19 pandemic along with the fear and panic it caused in the society increased hate speech and discrimination against older adults. Ageism manifested as a systematic stigmatization of older adults in the main media and social media negatively affected society's perception of ageing and older adults.