#BoomerRemover: COVID-19, ageism, and the intergenerational twitter response

Abstract

Early reports of COVID-19 often inaccurately presented the virus as a serious concern only among older adults. On the social media platform of Twitter, #BoomerRemover originated as a hashtag intended to express the age-related disparities of COVID-19. This study used a content analysis to examine tweets over a two-week period in March 2020 that used #BoomerRemover to discuss COVID-19 among older adults. A total of 1875 tweets were analyzed. Salient themes include: (1) There's a Real Intergenerational Divide, (2) Young People are Affected Too, (3) It's Being Used for Political Gain, and (4) #BoomerRemover is Simply Disrespectful. Findings suggest that many of the tweets employing #BoomerRemover were grounded in either personal or political ageism. In addition, a significant portion of tweeters used #BoomerRemover to defend older adults and speak out against ageism. This study highlights the importance of recognizing and addressing the growing intergenerational divide on social media, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2020a), the first reported case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the United States occurred in Snohomish County, Washington on January 21, 2020. Although this first reported case was a man in his mid-30s, the first deaths to be reported in the U.S. included several older adults from Washington and California (CDC, 2020b). With early news headlines including titles such as “There's not much risk – unless you're sick or old” (Robitzski, 2020) and “Coronavirus deaths are so far mostly older men” (Ramzy, 2020), COVID-19 was frequently presented as a virus that posed little threat to young and middle-aged individuals. This perspective – later noted as inaccurate – contributed to openly ageist perspectives and discourse from people around the world. On the social media platform Twitter, many users (tweeters) employed the hashtag #BoomerRemover to express their views about older adults, and particularly the baby boomer generation, in relation to COVID-19 (Sparks, 2020).

The first U.S. reference to #BoomerRemover occurred in a March 10, 2020 Twitter message (tweet) from a tweeter stating that they had heard the term used to describe the COVID-19 deaths of older adults (Sparks, 2020). Use of the hashtag – designed as a way for other Twitter users to find related posts – grew more common over the next several days, and by March 12, 2020, a tweet referencing COVID-19 as the “boomer remover” had received nearly 700,000 “likes” from other Twitter users (Tenbarge, 2020). Previous efforts to capture the demographics of those on Twitter suggest that approximately 73% of American Twitter users are under 50 years of age and approximately 38% are between the ages of 18 and 29 (Pew Research Center, 2019a). Given the age differences for most Twitter users in comparison to baby boomers – currently between 56 and 74 years of age – examining the messages that accompany the #BoomerRemover hashtag is be a valuable contribution to research on intergenerational ageism. Twitter establishes a social media platform whereby generational tension, and ageism in particular, can reach millions with a single tweet or hashtag. Given the growing presence of older adults on social media (Anderson & Perrin, 2017), the need for tweeters to consider how their messages, even those intended as jokes, might be interpreted by members of other generations is increasingly important. COVID-19 has created a society in which physical distancing is encouraged to limit viral transmission, and social media serves as an important site for understanding intergenerational tensions (Meisner, 2020).

Despite the recent attention COVID-19 brings to age-related stereotypes associated with morbidity and mortality (Ayalon, 2020), the practice of ageism has a long and harmful history in the United States. Scientist Robert Butler, responsible for coining the term ageism, credits his intergenerational upbringing for his awareness of discrimination against older people (Butler, 2005). In this vein, the continued intergenerational discord grounded in ageist beliefs, stereotypes, and actions contribute to a need for further research on this topic. Western society often associates the aging process with more losses than gains (Dobbs et al., 2008). Alongside the common belief that one must either overaccommodate for losses that may occur in older adulthood (e.g., compassionate ageism) or distance themselves from older adults in an attempt to ignore their own aging (North & Fiske, 2012), this perception has contributed to pervasive examples of individual and systemic ageism. For instance, older adults are commonly stereotyped as frail, asexual, incompetent, and senile (North & Fiske, 2012), all of which are often portrayed to consumers of mass media (e.g., television, magazines), yet remain underexplored on social media platforms.

Multiple theories underscore the intergenerational practice of ageism. Approaches such as terror management theory suggest that ageism is the function of ego protection, with younger adults buffering their own aging concerns by stereotyping older adults (Becker, 1973). Other perspectives, such as social identity theory, posit that individuals within a group – whether age, race, or other – build their self-esteem through viewing members of other groups negatively (Tajfel & Turner, 1979). Similarly, realistic group conflict theory suggests that competition drives prejudice as individuals compete for scarce resources (Jackson, 1993). Given both the increased attention to age-related mortality and the scarcity of life-saving medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic (Peterson, Largent, & Karlawish, 2020), these theories contribute to our efforts to explore intergenerational ageism through the #BoomerRemover hashtag.

A push for anti-ageism is one positive that has emerged from the growing research and theories on intergenerational ageism. For instance, Menkin, Smith, and Bihary (2020) found that placing anti-ageist messages around senior centers were effective, low-cost methods for increasing older adults' motivation to attend fitness classes. Similarly, using a nationally representative sample, Busso, Volmert, and Kendall-Taylor (2019) found that exposure to anti-ageist messaging significantly reduced implicit biases toward older adults. However, messages designed to disrupt ageism seem to remain limited on social media. With the #BoomerRemover hashtag, the present study is formed through the need to explore ageism, and anti-ageism, on Twitter.

The present study utilizes qualitative content analysis to examine the messages of Twitter users that discuss COVID-19 with use of the hashtag #BoomerRemover. Although researchers suggest that a significant portion of ageism include subtle, well-intentioned efforts to accommodate older adults (North & Fiske, 2012), early reports from media sources cite #BoomerRemover as a potentially dangerous perspective and “a battleground for generational warfare” (Whalen, 2020, para. 10). An initial evaluation of the hashtag identified a large number of tweets with ageist content (Jimenez-Sotomayor et al., 2020). Their analysis of 351 tweets containing the hashtag found 21.9% likely intended to ridicule or offend and 21.1% downplaying the value of older adult lives. Building upon the work of Jimenez-Sotomayor and colleagues, this research explores the themes of this ageism, as well as pushback to the uncritical use of the hashtag. The emergence of a new illness, such as COVID-19, that disproportionately contributes to the deaths of older adults during the age of social media creates a unique opportunity to further understand the interrelationship of health and public opinion.

Methods

This study utilized a systematic qualitative content analysis (Mayring, 2004) of the recurrent themes in tweets that included the hashtag #BoomerRemover. Twitter's search engine was used to identify tweets with the aforementioned hashtag between a two-week period, March 16 to March 30, 2020. This period represents the time frame when (1) #BoomerRemover was most referenced by individual tweeters and (2) national news began broadcasting that COVID-19 also posed a risk to young and middle-aged adults. This study only analyzed tweets posted in English. As publicly available data, and to maintain authenticity, the remarks, capitalization, and punctuation used in the tweets were not altered.

No a priori categories were imposed on the data, and several steps were taken to identify salient themes. First, tweets including the #BoomerRemover hashtag were downloaded using the web-based extension NCapture of the NVivo (version 12) qualitative software. A total of 1875 original tweets met the inclusion criteria. Next, tweets were analyzed to remove duplicates, responses to original tweets, or unable to be coded due to vagueness or lack of context. Following this step, a total of 862 (45.9%) tweets were coded by a team of four coders. After 92% inter-rater reliability was established between the coders, codes were organized into several categories based on emerging topics. These categories were then analyzed and organized into the key themes presented below. The themes reflect careful analysis of the latent meaning derived from the manifest content of #BoomerRemover tweets during the study period.

Results

Analyses revealed four core themes related to the #BoomerRemover hashtag. These include: (1) There's a Real Intergenerational Divide, which represents those tweets expressing a belief that the #BoomerRemover hashtag is justified and in some way payback for intergenerational differences, (2) Young People are Affected Too, representing tweets related to the findings that all people, no matter their age, seem to be susceptible to COVID-19, (3) It's Being Used for Political Gain, which captures the tweets focused on political and ideological battles related to the COVID-19 crisis, and (4) #BoomerRemover is Simply Disrespectful, representing tweets that speak out against the use of an ageist, unjustified hashtag.

Theme 1: There's a Real Intergenerational Divide

Approximately 19% of the tweets analyzed adopted an ageist belief that COVID-19 was operating as a generational equalizer and taking away those that had created social problems for subsequent generations during their lifetime. Further, these tweets frequently exemplified COVID-19-related ageism in two ways: (1) as an intergenerational divide, and (2) as an accurate representation of the virus's effect on older adults.

Those referencing an intergenerational divide often made efforts to pinpoint the origin of COVID-19, while also mentioning multiple generations in their tweet. For instance, according to one tweeter, “Boomers blaming millennials [for the virus] is like blaming someone who's never had the keys for crashing a car. #coronavirus #COVID19 #BoomerRemover.” However, in a tweet suggesting that millennials are the true creators of COVID-19, another tweeter writes, “The smart #millennials managed to invent and circulate a #BoomerRemover virus so let's see how the boomers will handle #COVID19.” Another tweet says, “#BoomerRemover, well, I mean, I'm not saying cough on elderly, but, they don't care about Gen Z's death (climate change), so, why should we care about theirs? (coronavirus).” Some tweeters that did not specifically name a generation also suggested that COVID-19 was payback for the perceived wrongs of baby boomers. For instance, as one tweeter suggests, “I'm just gonna say it: most boomers are irrational and can't be trusted. They've ruined the planet for younger generations… #BoomerRemover.” The belief that older adults had in some way failed to be generative were the most salient forms of intergenerational divide. Examples of tweets representing such thought include, “The average white boomer has completely screwed his kids and grandkids. There is a reason things like #okboomer and #boomerremover are trending.” Also, “A NYC daily ran an age distribution of who dies – and it's overwhelmingly old people, over 70…Guess why angry young adults, underemployed, happily call coronavirus the #BoomerRemover; because it's clearing good jobs at good wages.” Similarly, one tweeter states, “#Boomers hoard all jobs/wealth, insist we go to college, but won't fund it…insist we buy houses we can't afford. Now that there's a virus mainly affecting them, we're supposed to help them…The #BoomerRemover is long overdue.”

There were several tweets with the #BoomerRemover hashtag that spoke in response to millennials. For instance, one tweeter notes, “I see people tagging #covid19 as #boomerremover and hearing things like, ‘Maybe I can buy a house when they die.’ Anyone blaming boomers because they can't afford a house…is both a #fool and easily led. The blame lies elsewhere.” A similar tweet says, “#millenials #boomerremover. Hey Millenials Everywhere… your generation is standing on the shoulders of The Boomers. And we are all standing on the graves of The Greatest Generation. Make your words sweet today 4 2morrow you may have to eat them.”

Other #BoomerRemover and COVID-19 tweets deemed to be a form of ageist thought suggested that the hashtag is a “true” representation of the disproportionate effects of the virus. These tweets attempted to justify the #BoomerRemover hashtag, often included unfounded statistical claims. According to one tweet, “Mortality rate for boomers: 10%. Mortality rate for anyone under 40: 0.37%. I'll take my chances #BoomerRemover.” Another tweeter suggested that #BoomerRemover represents an accurate depiction of the age-related disparity associated with COVID-19. As this tweeter states, “If you are young [COVID-19 is] 80% likely to present as a very bad cold/flu. Some who have had it reported it even felt like a moderate cold. Children can barely notice they have it…#boomerremover is cruel but accurate.” A similar tweeter said, “#boomerdoomer and #BoomerRemover are trending for a reason. In jest, there's truth.”

Many of the analyzed tweets attempted to justify the use of #BoomerRemover with harsher and more openly ageist statements than those using statistics or suggesting truth in the hashtag. When telling a story of their mother-in-law, one tweeter shares, “My #Boomer mother-in-law drove up and exited the car while my kids were playing…My daughter got within 3 feet before my wife caught her. My [father-in-law] is lucky not to be a widower (yet, as she will probably get sick). #BoomerRemover.” According to another tweet, “#COVID19 is a chance to thin out boomers. Young people with high immunity must spread the virus. #BoomerRemover.”

Theme 2: Young People are Affected Too

Almost 12% of the analyzed tweets referenced the idea that COVID-19 can lead to illness or premature death in young adults. Nearly half these tweets also called for multiple generations to avoid the use of #BoomerRemover as a Twitter hashtag. Within some of the tweets was the term “zoomer.” Zoomer is an informal term applied to those born during Generation Z – or after the year 1996. As one Twitter user posits in a tweet encouraging young adults to recognize the magnitude of COVID-19, “#BoomerRemover…Wake up you clowns and smell the flowers. When the ventilators run out zoomers and millennials will die in their droves too. 18-year-old amongst [the] most recent to die.” Other tweets combined their warning to Generation Z with the use of statistics or recent news stories. For instance, a tweeter says, “#Zoomer you maybe need a update on reality on #BoomerRemover…Statistics from Italy and US [have] shown people between 20 and 39 hospitalized for [COVID-19]… It [has] killed people as low as 20 in Italy, not only old people.” A similar tweet responded to a news article announcing that a 36-year-old nurse, with no underlying health issues, is on a ventilator after contracting COVID-19. The tweet shares, “One of the worst messaging errors of this event is the overemphasis on [COVID-19] being a problem mainly for the elderly. It has plugged straight into the narcissistic, #BoomerRemover attitude of zoomers/millennials…We're all in [this].”

Although several tweets contained references to zoomers, others warned of the effects of COVID-19 by focusing on millennials. In a tweet that compares the perceived gall of millennials using the #BoomerRemover hashtag to that of a professional boxer, one tweeter says, “Seeing [and] hearing lots from millennials – stupid hashtags like #BoomerRemover. In San Diego County the highest rate of infection is in the millennial demographic. Brings to mind videos of boxers getting cocky, then getting clocked. Young people dying too.” A supporting tweet shares, “Millennials are on [here] talking about #boomerremover when referring to COVID-19. In fact, [their] age group is being hit extremely hard right now.” Some even included those within Generation X – born between 1966 and 1980 – in their tweets. One tweeter suggests, “Some #GenX people are making light of the death of older folks. I've seen the hashtag #BoomerRemover. Those who do are idiots. You aren't immune. Many healthy young people left permanently disabled by the virus.”

Of those tweets that did not specifically call for a generation of people to change the way they were thinking about COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality, several tweeters used personal narratives to explain why #BoomerRemover was a hashtag grounded in false beliefs. As one Twitter user shares their own experiences, “About the #BoomerRemover jokes…I'm the leading edge of Gen-X, and also a male with high blood pressure, so I might be in a high-risk group. #FindANewJoke.” Several others spoke of their knowledge of younger adults, affected by COVID-19. According to one individual, “One of my friends from college, who is high risk, was just labeled presumptive positive. She is barely 30. This old people are the only people who can die bs needs to stop. #BoomerRemover #coronavirus #COVID19US.” Another tweeter talks about a much younger person affected when COVID-19 when they share, “A 4-year-old in my area has it and is hospitalized. So much for #BoomerRemover #COVID19 doesn't negotiate.”

The frequency of tweets referencing the belief that #BoomerRemover portrayed a false narrative increased significantly during the last two dates that were analyzed – March 29 and March 30, 2020. These dates also represent moments when several news platforms shared the findings that young people were being diagnosed with COVID-19 at alarming rates (Los Angeles Times, 2020). One of the most commonly referenced news stories included in #BoomerRemover tweets noted that “38% of people hospitalized with the coronavirus are aged 20 to 54.” Although the original source of this statistic is not mentioned, several tweeters using the #BoomerRemover hashtag included it.

Theme 3: It's Being Used for Political Gain

Nearly 33% of tweets with the hashtag #BoomerRemover were situated at the intersection of politics and ageism. A number of key contextual features of U.S. politics help frame our understanding of this theme. First, older adults vote at the highest rates of any age group (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019), making them an important voting demographic. The voting of older adults is different not only quantitatively, but also qualitatively, with older adults often more likely to support Republican candidates in recent decades (Binstock, 2012). Additionally, Social Security and Medicare are key social programs for older adults, but questions surrounding their continued financing are regular topics in U.S. political discourse. Doubts about the future of these programs might lead younger cohorts to feel resentment and hostility toward older adults (North & Fiske, 2012). Given the potential political and financial repercussions of COVID-19, we examine the following political narratives within this theme.

Three distinct categories emerged from these tweets: (1) those predicting that COVID-19 will kill off older voters and politicians, (2) those criticizing politicians for mishandling the response to COVID-19, and (3) those using the trending hashtag as a platform to offer political analysis of the impact of COVID-19. The data collection took place during the 2020 U.S. presidential primaries, when the Democratic Party was selecting a candidate to run against Donald Trump. Some political leaders were making controversial decisions to shut down schools and businesses, while others downplayed the COVID-19-related risks of staying open. Users of the hashtag sought to predict the social, political, and economic consequences of COVID-19, with some, but not all, including other ageist sentiments in their tweets.

Several tweeters used #BoomerRemover to predict that COVID-19 would harm certain voting demographics. For example, one tweet targeted older Republicans by stating, “I wonder how many Trump boomers are regretting their decision right now as Republicans are telling them to sacrifice their lives… #BoomerRemover #StayAtHomeOrder #RepublicansAreKillingUs #TrumpliesAmericansDie.” Division was also evident within the Democratic Party. As one person tweets, “[W]hen the #BoomerRemover virus takes out your older Biden voters in the general, we'll be there to pick up the slack… why wouldn't we #Berners vote for #joementia… oh yeah, cuz he's a Republican, and a racist, and a liar.” Others focused not on voters, but rather older politicians themselves, hoping that COVID-19 would lead to their deaths. One individual tweets, “#COVID19 please wipe our planet of these dirty men #Biden #Trump and the rest of the sexual predators out there covering each other's arses. #BoomerRemover wipe the earth clean.”

Other individuals used the hashtag to criticize politicians and ideologies while also including ageist sentiments. As one tweet shares, “Your job is to hide behind a camera 1-day a week to show dementian in the end? @BernieSanders has been showing himself daily. Offering plans n solutions, [he] even fundraised 2million for victims. Just drop out Joe #DropOutBiden #BoomerRemover” Another tweeter criticized both Trump and older adults in general by claiming, “Trump still out here blaming the young when the ONLY people I see being cavalier about this are old folks #BoomerRemover.” While many users staked out political positions with the hashtag, others objected to its partisan usage. One in particular tweets, “If you are using the hashtag #BoomerRemover, forever stop claiming that you are more compassionate and open-minded than your political opposition. It means you're a cruel, callous and indifferent little shit.”

Other tweeters used the hashtag to focus on the political implications of the virus. In these examples, ageist views might not be explicitly expressed, but users weaponized the trending hashtag as a platform for political attacks. In one example, someone predicted, “Benefits to Trump/Republicans for “botching“ #SARS: Financial gain from stock market manipulation - Mass graves for the sick will make the border mass graves of children less noticeable - Solves the social security problem #BoomerRemover.” Another user criticized the president's focus on his press briefings by saying, “#BoomerRemover (#Covid-19) is in full effect, and all this wanker can think about is the bloody ratings.” On March 24, 2020, halfway through the data collection, Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick suggested that senior citizens would rather risk their lives than fundamentally damage the American economy for their grandchildren. Many tweeters responded by using the hashtag with claims that those supporting capitalism above human life were the real “boomer removers.” For example, one user states, “When ppl came up with #COVID19 being the #BoomerRemover, it was a morbid joke… The #GOP seems to have decided it's a great policy idea. They've been trying to cut #SocialSecurity for [years, so] apparently they're just gonna cut the recipients.”

Theme 4: #BoomerRemover is Simply Disrespectful

About 15% of tweets containing the #BoomerRemover term discussed the hashtag as inappropriate, disrespectful, or distasteful. These tweets were generally related to one of three categories: (1) #BoomerRemover is not funny, (2) the hashtag is unjustifiably mean, or (3) the real joke is on the young adults. Tweets representing each of these topics are shared.

Based on the analyzed tweets, it can be assumed that the messages referencing #BoomerRemover as an inappropriate attempt at humor often came from older adults. For instance, as one tweeter that self identifies as a “boomer” says, “ANYONE who supports #boomerremover needs to realize how insane they are. Death is NEVER a joke. I may be a ‘boomer’ but I have never not supported those who are not.” Another tweet, likely from an older adult, shares a similar sentiment in a message that shares, “I have never felt so devalued as I have in the past two months. Between #okboomer, #BoomerRemover, and now killing us off to stabilize the economy…it's horrifying, really.”

The majority of tweets coded as “#BoomerRemover is not funny” mentioned the lack of empathy a Twitter user displayed by trying to make a joke of the COVID-19 death rate among older adults. These tweets frequently referenced the parents and grandparents of those tweeting #BoomerRemover as a joke. As one Twitter user mentions, “Unbelievable to me [that] the younger generation is not so jokingly calling #coronavirus the #BoomerRemover… #Boomers are your parents/grandparents who've worked hard, taken care of [you] and it seems raised callus humans. Let's help each other!” Several other tweeters delivered much more direct messages in relation to COVID-19 being portrayed as a joke. For instance, someone says, “#BoomerRemover let's see if these kids think it's so funny when they kill off a beloved grandparent because they thought the whole COVID-19 issue was a joke and [they] infected their grandparent.”

Fifty-two of 152 tweets analyzed under the #BoomerRemover is Simply Disrespectful theme discussed, in a fairly straight-forward manner, that the hashtag is mean and inappropriate. Several tweets adopting this approach referenced the need to be anti-ageist in our thoughts and beliefs. For instance, one tweeter suggests, “A timely discussion of #ageism in the COVID-19 pandemic. I always disliked the term #boomer, as it refers to older adults in a derogatory way. #BoomerRemover is beyond appalling… Let's find compassion and kindness within.” A similar tweet speaks directly to older adults and says, “A message to elders: You are valuable. You are needed. You are worthy. Ageism is NEVER okay. You matter, and we love you… Spread this message far and wide. Shut down #boomerremover.” In a message that adequately sums up the thoughts of many other analyzed tweets, a tweeter suggests, “There is no such thing as harmless #ageism. #BoomerRemover #DisruptAgeism.” Although not employing a direct reference to ageism, another tweeter concisely states, “You can't tweet #BoomerRemover and then pretend you care about people.”

Some tweets related to countering the ageism and disrespect associated with #BoomerRemover focused on explaining the collateral effects of endorsing the hashtag. These tweets, coded as “the joke is on you,” often encouraged older adults to take note of those using the #BoomerRemover hashtag and adjust the inheritance they planned to leave to other generations. As one tweeter speaking directly to those over 70 years of age states, “Hey #overseventy, do you have woke grandchildren who identify with the #BoomerRemover hashtag? Liberate them from their embarrassing privilege, remove them from your will. Do it now before its to late.” A similar tweet shares, “The Boomers referred to in the #BoomerRemover hashtag should think twice about where they leave their money and property… If your kids and grandkids think the hashtag is OK then perhaps it's time to leave it to charity.” In a tweet that does not specifically reference inheritance, but instead suggests that those using the #BoomerRemover hashtag still live with their parents, one Twitter user sends a message to young adults, saying, “If you refer to the coronavirus as a #BoomerRemover then [forget] you. Hope you will know what to do once mom and dad are gone. The basement you live in usually sells with the rest of the house”

Discussion

Our findings reveal that, in response to the disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on older adults, #BoomerRemover emerged as a trending hashtag which: (1) exemplified an intergenerational, openly ageist, divide, (2) recognized that COVID-19 can affect individuals of any age, (3) related to the political jostling of the presidential election, and (4) criticized those including the hashtag in their tweets. Overall, although several individuals weaponized #BoomerRemover as a way to share their uncensored, ageist-driven views – both personally and politically – tweeters in opposition to the hashtag's use were nearly equally as responsible for helping #BoomerRemover to become a trending topic.

Current data show that older adults are disproportionately affected by higher rates of mortality from COVID-19 (Shahid et al., 2020). However, early reports frequently portrayed the disease as an illness that only targets older adults (Ramzy, 2020), a narrative that both fueled intergenerational tensions and made Twitter a hot spot for ageist comments. The blatant, often disrespectful ageism expressed on Twitter in the wake of COVID-19 frequently included references to the perceived generational wrongs of those in the baby boomer generation. Research notes that generational tension may be common for several reasons. For instance, the belief that health care goods and services might need to be rationed in times of high demand, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, can lead to a perceived lack of health care for younger adults (Binstock, 2010; White & Lo, 2020). In addition, competition for money, jobs, homes, and other necessities can contribute to generational discord (Dwyer, 2009; Keller, 2011), and these issues were commonly referenced in the #BoomerRemover tweets. Many of the #BoomerRemover messages posted by presumably younger Twitter users widened a generational divide, potentially leading to more ageist beliefs, messages, and online exchanges.

Age alone has proven to be a poor measure of COVID-19-related morbidity, as most older adults recover from the disease and many younger adults do not (Ayalon, 2020). At the time of this writing, Donald Trump, the 74-year-old president of the United States, recently announced that he has fully recovered from COVID-19 after being diagnosed only five days earlier. Although his message may be viewed by many as downplaying the severity of COVID-19, it also runs counter to the many #BoomerRemover tweets suggesting that COVID-19 serves to “thin out boomers.” The use of #BoomerRemover as a statistically supported admittance that COVID-19 can be dangerous for older adults oversimplifies the reach of the illness, while simultaneously reinforcing ageist beliefs that reduce older adults to a homogenous, vulnerable group.

This study, as well as several others (Green, Edgerton, Naftel, Shoub, & Cranmer, 2020; Painter & Qui, 2020), found that political motivations commonly intersected with messages on COVID-19. More specifically, the #BoomerRemover hashtag was often used to predict the social and economic ramifications of the pandemic, to criticize public officials thought to be mishandling the COVID-19 response, and to suggest which political party's supporters the virus would harm most. Political tweeters sometimes made explicitly ageist claims, but at other times used the #BoomerRemover hashtag to advance their own political beliefs. The political use of the hashtag occasionally overlapped with other themes that emerged in this study, such as the false belief that COVID-19 would only lead to death for older voters. Other tweets pointed to intergenerational political divides or offered a political context to call out the inherent disrespect of the hashtag.

Decisions, or the lack thereof, being made by public officials offered fodder for Twitter users to blame politicians and political parties for their perceived errors and predict deadly outcomes for older adults. As the debate over shutting down certain sectors of the economy and society quickly became political, many users of the #BoomerRemover hashtag sorted themselves along ideological lines. The hashtag offered a sharp, if not callous, critique of capitalism, with some suggesting that sacrificing public health for economic health would be disastrous for older adults in particular. Some conservatives countered that shutting the economy down would be more harmful to the society and that older adults, in particular, could take care of themselves. This led many users of the hashtag to label conservatism as the “real” #BoomerRemover.

The 2020 U.S. presidential election provided the political backdrop for many of the #BoomerRemover tweets. Users of the hashtag sought to predict COVID-19's impact on primary contests within the Democratic Party, as well as the general election. Joe Biden's campaign in particular was targeted for advocating that the primary contest in Florida proceed as planned. Beyond the criticism of specific candidates, supporters of political parties were also targeted by the hashtag. Supporters of Donald Trump were warned that COVID-19 would serve as a reckoning for their support of a president who consistently downplayed its seriousness. The origin of the hashtag was frequently blamed on supporters of Bernie Sanders, who tended to skew younger and be associated with a more flippant attitude toward the deaths of older adults.

Given the growing use of social media, and the frequency with which individuals use platforms like Twitter to express their sincerest views, each of the themes presented here have implications beyond this research. Whether explicitly ageist in sentiment or simply using the hashtag to advance a political or ideological agenda, the trending of #BoomerRemover represented a pivotal moment for intergenerational relations. The tweets captured during the study period offer a window into debates that continue to roil the public discourse about ageism, COVID-19, and what course of action our society should take through the pandemic.

A significant portion of tweeters countered the ageist – personal and political – #BoomerRemover rhetoric of others by either: 1) speaking against the misinformed belief that COVID-19 led to serious complications only for older adults, 2) recognizing that the #BoomerRemover hashtag is unjustifiably mean, 3) calling out the lack of humor surrounding such a serious topic, or 4) warning young adults that they could feel the collateral effects COVID-19 has on their older family members. These findings suggest that many tweeters are aware of the social and psychological harm that can result from hurtful, ageist messages (Meisner, 2020).

The Pew Research Center (2019b) finds that only 7% of Twitter users are ≥65 years of age. This demographic finding is likely, at least in part, a function of older adults' motivation for using social media platforms. In comparison to young adults, older adults are significantly more likely to use social media for the sole purpose of remaining in contact with family and friends (Hutto et al., 2015). However, Twitter users frequently look to social media to express their thoughts and stay up-to-date on recent news (Tandoc & Johnson, 2016). The age-related disparity in Twitter use has important implications for understanding how social media might be used to fill the intergenerational divide. Intentional efforts to highlight Twitter as a medium through which social contact with family and friends can be maintained could increase its use among older adults. Further, young adults, as the primary tweeters, could encourage their older family members to use Twitter and balance the lack of representation contributing ageism on social media.

Messages and hashtags intended to be ageist, such as #BoomerRemover, are still opportunities for intergenerational conversations promoting acceptance and inclusivity. Ehni and Whal (2020) developed six propositions aimed at fighting ageism in a post-COVID-19 society. Among their suggestions were helping young adults to recognize that older adults are heterogeneous, while also using technology to close the generational divide. Tweeters responding to #BoomerRemover in this study – whether calmly encouraging anti-ageism or jokingly noting that older adults support their younger counterparts – used technology common among young adults to highlight the inaccuracy in #BoomerRemover as a hashtag. As previous research notes, “now is the moment to create a broader awareness about negative stereotypes against older people,” as well as address the harmful consequences of promoting an intergenerational divide (Ehni & Wall, 2020, p. 521).

Conclusion

COVID-19 has, at least temporarily, shattered the social, interconnected world that existed prior to March 2020. Early reports of COVID-19's disproportionate effect on older adults, along with a persistent premature stream of misinformation, led to many adopting the belief that they were safe from the illness. This perspective, in part, seems to have contributed to the emergence of #BoomerRemover as a Twitter hashtag that initially promoted ageism, intergenerational tension, and dissatisfaction with older adults. However, as the use of the hashtag grew and other events, such as the presidential primary elections and young adults becoming sick with COVID-19, occurred, tweets using #BoomerRemover grew more diverse. Supporters of politicians being considered for president of the U.S. used the hashtag to frame their political frustrations with opposing parties, often in ageist ways. Opponents of ageism used the hashtag to warn other Twitter users that COVID-19 could infect young adults just as quickly as it does older adults. Still, others used their Twitter presence to condemn the use of #BoomerRemover and promote a generational bridge that might be needed to get us through a period of social distancing.

While this study is the only known in-depth examination of #BoomerRemover as a Twitter hashtag, it is not without limitations. This study only analyzed 15-days of data from Twitter. Although this may limit what is known about the tweets shared before or after the study period, the 15 days analyzed represent (1) when #BoomerRemover was most referenced and (2) when reports of COVID-19's effect on young adults grew common. In addition, this study analyzed only the #BoomerRemover tweets composed in English.

Ageism is not exclusive to print and television media. Social media is now a leading platform for the dissemination of current, relevant news (Ju, Jeong, & Chyi, 2014). Yet, the ability of anyone to contribute to social media brings the power of reporting to those that may not be interested in truth or accuracy (Kouzy et al., 2020). There is a need to close the ageist, generational gap common in social media, and this can begin by promoting the inclusion of varying views representing multiple generations (Meisner, 2020). While the calls of several Twitter users to “#DisruptAgeism” are encouraging, now is the time for individuals with a social presence across platforms to use their reach to promote respect and appreciation for older adults. As one tweeter using the #BoomerRemover hashtag shared, “let's find compassion and kindness within.”