Ageism and Digital Media | ||
| Journal of Media and Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Volume 3, Issue 8, June 2024, Pages 75-99 PDF (484.72 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Articles | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jmis.2024.254894.1019 | ||
| Author | ||
| Hassan Marrie* | ||
| Faculty of Mass Communication | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Stereotypical content of elderly individuals can be seen in numerous depictions across the different media platforms. According to Loos and Ivan (2018), ageism in media is characterised by underrepresentation, misrepresentation, and marginalisation of old age groups, vilifying ageing and older people with a prejudiced approach. Since negative and false stereotypes are deeply embedded in our culture, we eventually fail to detect them as misrepresentation. Fundamentally, age discrimination against older adults has been fuelled by media-perpetuated stereotypes. Initially, ageist prejudices may have a destructive impact on how older people perceive themselves and their self-identity. In addition, being demoralised as an older person may run the risk of internalising harmful stereotypes, which would be detrimental to mental, emotional, and physical well-being (Levy 2009; Levy et al. 2002b). Despite a new trend towards constructive portrayals of older people, ageist behaviour is still prevalent. Reinforcing age discrimination in real life and on social media could have serious negative consequences. What media lacks in its various content, based on pilot observation and content navigation, is an accurate, balanced, fair, and realistic representation of the active older adults in society. Given the prevalence of ageism in Egyptian culture and universally, its negative impacts on older adults’ physical and mental health, a corrective action on antiageism is urgently needed. This paper aspires to shed light on ageism through a systematic literature review and qualitative data analysis to aim at facilitating the social inclusion of elders through the reduction and elimination of ageism in the media field. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Digital Ageism; Microagression; Inclusion; Social Inclusion | ||
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