The Adverse Effects of Utilisation of AI-Generated Content by Older Adults: A Scoping Analysis of Distribution Channels, Vulnerabilities, and Countermeasures
Abstract
The application of generative AI technology in the creation of videos and audio contents increases its spread rate but also increases chances that fabricated information will mislead public opinions when not rigorously verified; Simultaneously it makes illegal activities easier as identity is stolen or abused for different purposes within massive scale without being easily detected. Driven by gaps in digital literacy, verification habits and social-psychological needs, older people are more likely to fall victim to fake media on short-video apps, social networks and other peer-to-peer channels. At the same time, this phenomenon also leads to financial losses for parents; it harms the mental state or physical safety of children; and disrupts the consistency of daily routines and development activities. The current mitigation tactics are mainly clustered at four levels: personal digital literacy education, family-based intergenerational assistance, platform-content regulation, and regulatory collaboration. However, it is still necessary to consider the extent of its influence in practice and how much evidence there is to back it up currently. Based on the research results, this article constructs a unified "technology-cognition-behaviour" framework and puts forward concrete recommendations for families in China, internet platforms, and the general public.
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