The biggest culprits are the senior citizens. They are the most addicted to social media.

I agree, and I think it’s due to the decline of executive cognition and the behavioral training of the TV generation. They believe the news, and grew up in a time when trust was aplenty.

My MIL in her 70s has been staying with us for the past month or so and her phone habits are bonkers. I rarely use my phone at home, have young kids that are small-screen free; so we tend to engage in conversations and activities during family time, or even just watch big-screens movies/TV as a family. The MIL is glued to the phone/tablet and constantly wants to talk to everyone about it like it’s a shared experience. “Who’s this lady in the photo with Janet?” Like we know or care, maybe ask Janet or just scroll on. Anyways I don’t criticize her directly but my wife has even become annoyed by it and I’ve asked her to have a etiquette conversation with her or give her feedback some way because I can’t stand it for another month lol.

Anecdata here but my 60-something year old mother acts like a sullen teenager around my kids/her grandchildren. She just scrolls endlessly on her phone until my father/her husband calls her out on it.

It's maddening and sad.