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Bored Panda

Entertainment

Adelė Davidonytė

69 Times Boomers Tried To Use Technology And Failed Miserably

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Nowhere is aging more apparent than on the Internet. As a fellow person in their 30s, I can nowadays rarely be online without feeling uncool. Luckily, I'm having an easier time than the older generations whose confusion with current technology and the newest trends makes netizens laugh regularly.

It's 2026, but some grandmas and grandpas seem to still be mystified by how to use Facebook, how to order an Uber, and what an iPad is for. Bored Panda has compiled a list of the funniest and most wholesome examples of meemaws and peepaws struggling to navigate today's world for your enjoyment. Yet, we ask you, Pandas, to keep the fun lighthearted – there will most likely come a day when you'll be just as uncool and out of touch.

#1 She Just Went And Got Receipts

#2 Grandmas Are Confidence Boosters

#3 This Is Undoubtedly Something Grandpa Would Do

When it comes to technology, older generations are not as savvy. And it makes sense – they didn't grow up with a tablet or a smartphone in their hands. However, people aged 65 and older are more immersed in technology than they have ever been, as the number of older folks who use tech has grown in the past decade.

According to Pew Research Center's data from 2022, only 13% of people aged 65+ had a smartphone and only 11% were present on social media. In 2021, those numbers rose to 61% and 45%, respectively. YouTube is the most popular social media site among people of all ages, and 49% of those from the older generations used it most frequently in 2021.

#4 My Girlfriend's Grandma Thought The iPad Was A Cutting Board

#5 Name Every Beverage

#6 My Grandma Thought This Was A Cross, So She Hung It Up. I Decided Not To Correct Her

A common misconception is that the older you get, the less you want to learn new things. However, research shows the complete opposite. Older folks are more than eager to learn new things. As AARP's study in 2022 shows, 55% of adults aged 45 and older are actively learning new things. Most are motivated by curiosity, practicality, and the cognitive benefits that learning brings.

Many older adults know that learning helps them stay sharp, as it maintains or even enhances neuroplasticity. Yet, they also admit that there are obstacles to learning later in life that they don't always control. Some say (26%) that it's too expensive to learn a new skill or follow a passion project. But another important barrier to learning for older adults is often ageism.

#7 Bought My Dad A Kindle, And He’s Using It As A Bookmark

#8 Who Else Enjoyed The Bugs Bunny Halftime Show?

#9 I Ordered Uber Eats For My Grandma To Try, And Not Even A Day Later, She's Taken Control

Ageism can work both ways: some older folks internalize their age and are convinced they can no longer learn new skills. Others are made uncomfortable by those around them who say that there's an age limit on learning something. 16% of the respondents in the AARP survey said their age makes them feel uncomfortable, and 7% said they feel outside pressure when trying to engage in learning. Active learners are also more likely than those who are not currently learning to say fear of ageism is stopping them from trying out new things (18% vs 13%).

#10 This Made Me Laugh Out Loud Audibly

#11 Granma's Facebook Bio

#12 I Sent My Grandfather A Picture Of Our Cat Dressed As A Reindeer. Turns Out He Didn't Have My Number In His Contacts

Just because there is a will to learn, doesn't mean it's easy. As we age, it becomes more and more difficult to retain new information. Essentially, our brains forget the info we don't need or use for a long time (here's for not needing to learn how to ride a bike twice, huh?). But with older people, this ability diminishes, and the old information hinders our attempts at learning new things.

#13 My Mom Photocopies Recipes Off Of Her iPad

#14 This Mom Crashed Her Son's Presentation

#15 My Grandma Should Go To A Nursing Home

My grandma climbed onto my laptop and said: Come on, check my weight for me?

There are two possibilities: either my grandma is actually dumb, or she’s pretending to be dumb and just wants to break my laptop for real.

Pernilla Andersson, a cognitive neuroscience researcher at Örebro University, explains that in older people with memory issues, the pathways between different parts of the brain diminish in quality and carry information more slowly. "These connections are important for different brain regions to communicate with each other," she says. "When the quality is lower, it can affect how efficient and fast the communication is."

#16 My Grandma Thinks Our iMessage Chat Is Google, I’m Just Going Along With It

#17 My Fiancé’s Grandma Texted Her Cell Phone Asking For Her Cell Phone Number

#18 Grandma Likes To Get Us Puzzles For Christmas. She Thought It Was An Elf

Interestingly, older people may be more altruistic in their rationale for learning than younger people. According to a 2021 study by researchers at the Universities of Birmingham and Oxford, older people tend to learn faster when it benefits others and not themselves. "When making choices that give positive feedback – money – to another person, older adults are just as good as younger adults," senior author of the study, Dr. Patricia Lockwood, explained.

#19 My Dad Sharing A Memory Of Me

#20 This Parent Misused The Skull Emoji

#21 Adorable & Hilarious

"We recognise that in general, cognitive processes and learning ability tend to get worse as people get older," the lead author of the study, Dr. Jo Cutler of the University of Birmingham, also added. "So it's really interesting to see that when making choices that will benefit others, older adults' learning ability is preserved. By better understanding what motivates older people in this way, we can contribute to strategies that promote healthy ageing."

#22 Our Boss Was Like "Omg, Stop! That's Not A Thing" And Then Asked Her Why She Wasn't Using Shortcuts

#23 The “Thank You” Is Sending Me

#24 Order Cake

To allow older people to learn new things efficiently and with more motivation, it's important not to exclude them. Sadly, ageism is still pretty prevalent in America. According to the American Psychological Association, 93% of older adults say they have faced at least one form of ageism. That includes assumptions that older people don't know how to use technology or "don't do anything important or valuable."

#25 Facebook, Please Delete Dorothy

#26 She Thought It Was Coffee Creamer

#27 Or She’s Just Laughing At You

Is the saying "Respect your elders" still true today? In some cases, it's wrong to assume an older person deserves respect and empathy just because of their considerable age. Lord knows there are plenty of unpleasant older folks all around the world. Yet, at the same time, writing off a person just because they're older can be just as wrong. We all have a limited amount of time to enjoy on this trip we call life, so let's not stop people from taking full advantage of what it has to offer for as long as they can.

#28 I Don't Think That's How The Star Rating System Works

#29 Let's Be A Relatable Company

#30 Mirror Selfie

What do you think of these silly fails, Pandas? Have the older people in your life ever done anything as remotely unhinged and funny? Share your stories with us in the comments! And if you'd like to read more about generational differences, check out some life advice elders are doling out on this Instagram page!

#31 I Can't Stop Laughing At This

#32 Grandkids Tried To Color My Collectible

#33 My Old Man Is Letting Me Know Ozzy Osbourne Has Died

#34 Disgusting. Peta Has Been Called

#35 Maria Is Fine And Well It Seems

#36 I Am Here To Schedule A Date With The Full Size Silver Queen

#37 My Uncle Got A New Laptop So He Decided To "Delete" The Files On His Old Laptop With A Hammer

#38 He Now Thinks I’m A Tech Genius Cause I Know What Google Play Store

#39 My Father's PC, Ladies And Gentlemen

#40 My Grandpa Thought His Headphone Jack Was A Screw Hole

#41 I Genuinely Laughed

#42 She Did Not

#43 Update: His Stomach’s Completely Unfazed

#44 Still No "You're Welcome" From Google

#45 I Shouldn’t Be Laughing

#46 My Friend's Grandmother Wished Him A Happy Birthday

#47 My Wife And I Got Her Grandparents An iPad. I Think We Need Another Tutoring Session

#48 "Silly"

#49 Don't Think That's How That Works, Kathy

#50 Do It For Me Google

#51 Not Interested At All

#52 Hacking Advice Please

#53 Went To A Bar In Kentucky, And The 75-Year-Old Woman Behind The Bar Did The Same Thing. She Goes, “Thank God For Youtube.” I Just Let Her Be

#54 My Grandma Thought Our Dog Really Looked Like That

#55 Grandma’s Latest Facebook Story Creation - Nobody Knows How She Made Or Posted This, As She Doesn’t Even Know How To Post Regular Statuses Or Pictures

#56 I Think My Mom Might Belong Here

#57 Grandma Said Her New Apartment Came With An iPhone, Or So I Thought

#58 My Grandpa Gave Me His Phone Because He Didn't Want It Anymore. This Was The Only Picture Saved On It

#59 "God Bless Cabbage"

#60 My Grandpa Got An iPhone For The First Time And Thinks That If He Tells It An Emoji, It Will Send It, Whether They Exist Or Not

#61 That's Not How This Works... That's Not How Any Of This Works

#62 Thank You For Keeping Us Posted, Susan

#63 My Granddad Tried Putting In His New Sim Card By Taking The Screen Off With A Penknife

#64 I Never Thought My Dad Belonged Here Until Now

#65 Siri, Help Animals To Cross The Rainbow Bridge

#66 My Nan Posted This On Facebook

#67 Tell That Mod To Change Back My Peronsal Phone Settings

#68 Grandma Sent Me This Photo She Took Of Me With The Dog

Grandma wanted to take a picture of me and the dog. This is what I received. Captured me speaking, fingers on the top/bottom of the screen, and you can hardly see the dog. Perfect 10/10!

#69 People Just Have No Concept Of Basic Grammar Anymore

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