Towards Equitable Online Participation: A Case of Older Adult Content Creators' Role Transition on Short-form Video Sharing Platforms

Short-form video sharing platforms (SVSPs) have recently seen a rapid increase in use rate, with many older adults actively creating and sharing videos on these platforms. This recent trend presents new evidence to counter the negative impression of older adults as passive recipients of online services, as well as opportunities for an in-depth understanding of why older adults become online contributors. To understand older adults' user trajectory on SVSPs, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 older adult content creators on two of the most popular SVSPs in China, DouYin and KuaiShou. We found our participants were initially drawn to SVSPs because of the low barrier to participation and fun, but they stayed mainly because of the attention and support they received there. SVSPs enabled a low-barrier and equitable platform through their near-automatic use and relatively equal opportunities for recommendations. Motivated by their own passion and the audience's support, our participants actively acquired new skills for better performance and became more deeply engaged on the platforms. Based on these findings, we reflect on how SVSPs' technical affordances support older adults' transitioning from lurkers to contributors. We advocate for the value of participation equity and a supportive environment for more inclusive social media platforms.