Navigating the Digital Wave

Concerns about the aging of the Chinese population (Y. Short videos, representing a novel form of information dissemination and social engagement, offer the elderly a means to connect across time and space (Zhang & Xiang, 2023). Short form video is dynamic and intuitive, making audio-visual information and public communication particularly accessible to older audiences. Notably, On 15th January 2024, the General Office of the State Council of China published the "Opinions on Developing the Silver Economy and Enhancing the Well-Being of the Elderly." This document marks the inaugural national policy directive specifically addressing the “Silver Economy” by the Chinese Government (Huang, 2024). The issuance of the Opinions policy underscores the critical role of the elderly demographic within the ambit of China's contemporary digital and cultural milieu, highlighting the government's commitment to integrating this segment of the population into the broader socio-economic framework. However, existing research, both domestically and internationally, has predominantly examined the participation of older adults in short video platforms from the user perspective, often overlooking the significant number of older individuals actively contributing as content creators within the short video culture. Consequently, this research addresses this gap and is dedicated to examining the involvement of Chinese elderly individuals in the realm of short-form video culture, specifically as content creators

China · Digital video · Political science · Telecommunications · Computer Science · Cultural Industries and Urban Development