Self-presentation of grey-haired influencers on TikTok: active ageing in China

Abstract

ABSTRACT As the ageing of global societies continues to accelerate, China is actively responding to population ageing through its national strategy, and the rise of new media has provided more opportunities for the realization of this strategy. With the support of new media platforms such as TikTok, elderly people have started an active ageing trend on the Internet. This research conducts a qualitative content analysis of the videos of the top 10 ‘grey-haired influencers’ on the TikTok platform based on the theory of self-presentation, with a focus on their self-presentation in the new media era. Technological empowerment has facilitated the main narrative of grey-haired influencers, and they have transformed from being ‘presented by others’ to ‘creating self-images’. The self-presentation strategies of grey-haired influencers encompass both adherence to and deviations from Goffman’s theory. These strategies elicit diverse feedback from the audience, which prompts the grey-haired influencers to make further adjustments to their strategies and self-presentation. Ultimately, these influencers strive to create a meaningful space for older individuals, promote the development of a new grey-haired identity, and facilitate the dissemination of narratives about ageing among different age groups, thus fostering the practice of active ageing.