Digital inequality and old ages: Experiences of social media users aged 60 and over living in Trabzon

Today, the internet and social media have entered almost every area of our lives and continue to spread at the same speed. Despite the spread of information and communication technologies, digital inequalities cannot be eliminated at the same speed. With the increase in the digitalization process during the Covid-19 pandemic, which started in 2020 and rapidly affected the whole world, digital inequalities also deepen and feed social inequalities. In this research, it is aimed to reveal digital inequalities by focusing on the internet and social media usage experiences of individuals aged 60 and over, their social media and aging perceptions that affect motivational access. In the study with a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 participants aged between 61-96 living in Trabzon. In addition to questions about understanding the participants' digital capital, the focus was on their attitudes and perceptions on the issues that could affect their motivational access. As a result of the research, it has been revealed again that internet and smartphone ownership does not mean getting the same benefit from these tools. Besides, even if factors such as age, education level, technological capital have an impact on digital inequality, factors such as the perception of old age, fear of being defrauded, which affect motivational access and new media use skills, cause participants to stay away from increasing their digital capital. In addition, it was concluded that the habitus, which determines the habits of the participants in their daily lives, also limits their online activities. Keywords: Digital Inequalities, Aging, Motivational Access, Digital Capital. New Media.