Through the eyes of seniors: Uncovering strategies for identifying deepfakes

Deepfake videos are widely recognized for their potential to manipulate and distort reality. This study aims to identify prevalent deepfake identification strategies among an often-overlooked age group, seniors (55 years and older) and how these strategies develop over time. We conducted a 3-week diary study with 30 seniors, guided by prior work on information credibility and deepfake identification. Four main deepfake identification strategy categories emerged: (1) source, (2) endorsement, (3) media, and (4) content. A common combination was the use of strategies from the media, source, and endorsement categories. Another common combination was the content, endorsement, and source categories. Notably, the number of strategy combinations employed increased over the 3-week data collection period. By incorporating a longitudinal perspective, the study offers a more dynamic understanding of how seniors’ identification strategies evolve over time. Practically, the insights from this study can inform targeted interventions and collaborative programs that aim to enhance seniors’ resilience against video-based disinformation.