Wired Wisdom - by Eszter Hargittai & John Palfrey (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A surprising window into the online lives of people sixty and over--offering essential insights, no matter your age.

Many popular accounts say the older you are, the greater your tech struggles. And it's worrying to think of loved ones emailing cringe-worthy misinformation, falling for phishing attacks, or becoming lonelier with increasing time spent online.

But in their eye-opening book on the internet's fastest-growing demographic, researchers Eszter Hargittai and John Palfrey offer a more nuanced picture--debunking common myths about older adults' internet use to offer hope and a necessary call to action. Incorporating original interviews and survey results from thousands of people sixty and over, Wired Wisdom shows that many, in fact, use technology in ways that put younger peers to shame. Over-sixties are often nimble online and quicker to abandon social media platforms that don't meet their needs. Despite being targeted more often, they also may be less likely to fall for scams than younger peers. And fake news actually fools fewer people over sixty, who have far more experience evaluating sources and detecting propaganda. Still, there are unseen risks and missed opportunities for this group. Hargittai and Palfrey offer practical advice and show that our stereotypes can be hurdles that keep us from building intergenerational support communities, helping loved ones adopt new technology that may improve their lives, and thriving together online.

Review Quotes

"Drawing on interviews and surveys with thousands of participants, the authors reveal that older adults tend to abandon unhelpful social platforms quickly, make resourceful use of technology, and are less vulnerable to scams despite frequently being targeted. Wired Wisdom dispels the fear of this demographic's tech struggles, highlighting their strengths and their need for continued support and understanding. The authors present their research and data through vignettes that illustrate their findings. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels."

-- "CHOICE"

"Basically everyone could benefit from a lesson in digital literacy. Stereotypes tell us that older folks are especially vulnerable to online attacks and propaganda, but Wired Wisdom pushes back against those claims with original research. After making sure netizens over 60 are duly respected for their internet savvy, this book offers intergenerational strategies to make sure we're all on the same page. Or tab."

-- "CultureMap Austin"

"Wired Wisdom is an important, accessible book that should be read by anyone with an interest in the internet, social media, and emerging digital technologies."-- "William Dutton, author of "The Fifth Estate""

"At last we have the book about mastering the digital world that has long been needed. Whether you are fifty or one hundred, you'll benefit enormously from reading Wired Wisdom."-- "Howard Gardner, author of "A Synthesizing Mind""

"By shining a light on the challenges and opportunities that older people experience in our digital world, Hargittai and Palfrey invite all of us to be more thoughtful about how we support the online lives of those whose years on this earth surpass ours."-- "danah boyd, author of "It's Complicated""

"This is a useful, practical, and urgently needed book. As someone who regularly interacts with a large community of online elders, I can imagine this book will validate their lived experiences."-- "Gina Neff, coauthor of "Human-Centered Data Science""

"How refreshing to find a book prepared to sift science from stereotype in what the authors call an especially 'unsettled' research area of older adults and tech."-- "New Scientist, "13 Best Popular Science Books of 2025""

"[Debunks] commonly held myths that cast senior citizens as inept, scam-prone users of the internet."-- "Wall Street Journal"

"Wired Wisdom [looks] at the real differences between older and younger people in their use of digital technology, the attitudes that underlie those differences, and--where older folks do lag in adoption--what can be done to help. . . . Hargittai and Palfrey do an excellent job of making academic research relevant and useful to a general audience."-- "Newcity"

About the Author

Eszter Hargittai holds the Chair in Internet Use & Society in the Department of Communication and Media Research at the University of Zurich. She is the author or editor of five books, most recently Connected in Isolation.
John Palfrey is president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. He is the author or coauthor of several books, including Born Digital and The Connected Parent. He is based in Chicago.