ABSTRACT
Population growth, urbanization, differentiations in family structure, Factors such as the diversification of economic activities have produced a new social reality. Elderly individuals face this reality. Individuals aged 65 and over had limited transportation and communication opportunities during their childhood and youth. They had lived a quiet life in their childhood because the change was slow. However, individuals aged 65 and over are trying to keep up with today's digital age, where speed is decisive. Today, internet cables and wireless networks surrounding the world are the driving force of change. Some of the internet users over the age of 65 were also using the internet in the middle age period. However, after age 65, there is a significant increase in the number of people acquainted with the internet. With the spread of smartphones, access to the internet has become more accessible. Therefore, the presence of the elderly in social networks has become visible. The elderly have eased the restrictions and prohibitions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic with social media. In this process, some elderly people became social media members with the influence of their children, grandchildren and friends. Over time, the time spent by the elderly on social networks has increased. Thanks to the internet, people could move without depending on time and space. Social media, which has entered people's lives since the beginning of the 2000s, has allowed people to produce their content. In this way, the elderly have engaged in activities that add meaning to their lives in the digital environment. Searching for life's meaning is as old as human history. People both question the problematic situations such as illness, accident, and helplessness they experience and turn to actions that will alleviate these troubles and give them happiness. In particular, religion guides the elderly in this regard. Religion affects the online and offline lives of the elderly. These people make religious shares on social media. In this regard, social networks are a new subject of analysis for social research. In this context, the research topic is the role of social media in the search for the meaning of individuals aged 65 and over who consider themselves religious and conservative. The problem of our research: how do social networks make up the meaningful world of religious, conservative individuals aged 65 and older? Also, how do the elderly produce solutions to the meaning crises they experience? For this purpose, two focus group interviews of 4 people were conducted. In addition, 23 people were interviewed in depth. Of the people interviewed, 13 are women, and 18 are men. These numbers are determined according to the proportion of men and women using social media in Turkiye. In this context, the research topic is the role of social media in the search for the meaning of individuals aged 65 and over who consider themselves religious and conservative. The problem of our research: how do social networks make up the meaningful world of religious, conservative individuals aged 65 and older? Also, how do the elderly produce solutions to the meaning crises they experience? For this purpose, two focus group interviews of 4 people were conducted. In addition, 23 people were interviewed in depth. Of the people solicited, 13 are women, and 18 are men. These numbers are determined according to the proportion of men and women using social media in Turkiye. Studies on the search for meaning in life are generally studies in psychology. The search for meaning is the product of an individual effort from this perspective. However, our study approaches the issue from a sociological point of view and discovers the connection of meaning with other individuals. In this respect, the social media experiences of the elderly are included in the analysis. Thanks to social networks, the elderly can find their schoolmates and express their thoughts on the agenda. Again, the elderly can express their anger here. For this reason, it has emerged that social media adds meaning to their lives. Using social media in a balanced way, not at the level of addiction, can contribute to the search for purpose of the elderly. For this reason, courses can be organized for the elderly to improve their ability to act in the digital space.