Why Older Adults (Don't) Use Password Managers
This work addresses usability and security challenges for older adults, an often-overlooked demographic, but is incremental as it replicates prior research with a new sample.
The study investigated why older adults adopt or avoid password managers, finding they have higher mistrust of cloud storage and cross-device synchronization compared to younger cohorts, while family recommendations and education serve as key motivators for adoption.
Password managers (PMs) are considered highly effective tools for increasing security, and a recent study by Pearman et al. (SOUPS'19) highlighted the motivations and barriers to adopting PMs. We expand these findings by replicating Pearman et al.'s protocol and interview instrument applied to a sample of strictly older adults (>60 years of age), as the prior work focused on a predominantly younger cohort. We conducted n=26 semi-structured interviews with PM users, built-in browser/operating system PM users, and non-PM users. The average participant age was 70.4 years. Using the same codebook from Pearman et al., we showcase differences and similarities in PM adoption between the samples, including fears of a single point of failure and the importance of having control over one's private information. Meanwhile, older adults were found to have higher mistrust of cloud storage of passwords and cross-device synchronization. We also highlight PM adoption motivators for older adults, including the power of recommendations from family members and the importance of education and outreach to improve familiarity.