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At 83, a retiree spends several hours a week on social networks. She shares publications every day on her account about her passions, the West Indies or rugby, but also false information. Example: these French stars who would have the common point of leaving France if the RN comes to power. This is false. Another example of a publication that she relayed: "France plans to ban the burqa and niqab in public places, in case of non-compliance, fine of 5,000 euros." Wrong again. The image was produced by artificial intelligence, and the law already provides for a fine of 150 euros since 2010 for hiding the face in public space.
Can she recognize if the photo in the article is real? âMaybe, I donât know. Itâs possible,â she replies, doubtfully. She admits not knowing its origin. As for the authenticity of the information, she admits to having had some doubts: "It amuses me, that's all. I'm not convinced of the thing, but hey, I'm sending it, that's all", further justifies the octogenarian.
Seniors âmore vulnerable to taking risksâ on networks
Contrary to popular belief, people over 65 share false information seven times more than young people. In the Toulouse region, before the lottery draw, friends consult their smartphones and do not hesitate to react to the different content. âYou shouldn't believe everything,â assures one of them, but she quickly admits to not knowing âhow to sort it out.â This lack of knowledge of the codes can carry risks. One of the retirees does not hesitate to trust the advice of an Internet user for her diabetes. âShe explained to us what we could eat, what we could drink⊠It was a lady who was diabetic and who was talking about that, sheâs not a doctor at all,â she told us.
Vulnerability to false information, however, has no direct link with age. "It is not at all a problem of cognitive abilities. People aged 60 and over have excellent cognitive abilities for the majority of them. But these are people who were not born with social networks, as our children may be today. So, they are less aware of the risks of the networks, and vulnerable to risk-taking", explains Bertrand Fougere, geriatrician at CHU Tours.
The Occitanie Press Club offers workshops to help you find your way around
One of the solutions is to better train seniors, as in a workshop organized by the Press Club in Occitanie. Two hours to understand how the algorithms work and thwart misleading images on the networks. âThis is a first photo of Proxima Centauri, the star closest to the sun. What do you think of it?â asks Axelle Szczygiel, speaker at the âEspritâCritikâ workshop at the Occitanie Press Club. âIt looks like a slice of chorizo,â reacts one participant. âIt was indeed a slice of chorizo, trust yourself!â, Axelle finally tells them.
"We have to equip them to help them, precisely, to regain power, somewhere. Who is talking to me? Why? What is this media? Is it a media? Is it a professional? Is it amateur? That's it, asking the right questions", underlines the speaker.
âYou always have to check more or less and above all not share,â summarizes a retiree. âEveryone can be fooled, even those who pride themselves on having a lot of critical thinking,â adds another. âWe are forced to have less and less confidence, thatâs whatâs a bit embarrassing, in fact. Because we were born to be confident, to live with others and now we are forced to be wary,â regrets a third.
This system targeted at seniors still remains marginal in France, despite a sharp increase in demand.
Among our sources:
Digital report 2026 from the We Are Social agency
Non-exhaustive list.
