As part of Safer Internet Month, the Israel Internet Association (ISOC-IL) launched a unique initiative to advance digital literacy among senior citizens in Israel’s Arab society. The program was developed in collaboration with JDC-Eshel, which focuses on promoting well-being in aging, and Hasoub, an NGO dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship and technology in Arab society in Israel.
The “Safer Internet Day for Seniors in Arab Society” event was held on February 25, 2025, and featured workshops and training sessions for seniors in nine Arab towns where JDC-Eshel’s “Local Network: Community for Generations” program operates: Shefaram, Sakhnin, Misgav Regional Council, Tur’an, Majd al-Krum, Baqa al-Gharbiyye, Umm al-Fahm, Majdal Shams, and East Jerusalem (Beit Safafa).
The workshops aimed to educate participants about digital risks and threats on WhatsApp and TikTok, the most commonly used platforms among Arab seniors, and to equip them with the skills needed for online protection. Participants received practical tools and knowledge on safeguarding their privacy, identifying digital fraud, recognizing violent, false, and manipulative content, and safely using their smartphones. The sessions included hands-on exercises to help participants adopt protective measures online.
Training and Volunteer Engagement
The training materials were developed by ISOC-IL experts and delivered by Hasoub volunteers, who facilitated the workshops in various municipalities.
Prior to the event, Dima Assad-Nikola, Head of Digital Inclusion Programs at ISOC-IL, arranged a special training workshop for Hasoub volunteers and JDC-Eshel senior citizen group coordinators, and led a session on online safety for seniors. The workshop was held in collaboration with Dr. Asmaa Ghanayem, founder of InnDigital Center, who provided the volunteers and coordinators with guidance and tools on how to optimize the training content for the target audience.
Data-Driven Approach to Workshop Topics
The workshop topics were chosen based on real-world data and insights from the field. According to ISOC-IL’s Internet Safety Hotline annual report, reports from the Arab public about harmful content and online violence on TikTok are significantly higher than those from the general public—15% of reports from the Arab community compared to 5.5% from the broader population.
This aligns with findings from two recent ISOC-IL studies that highlight differences in TikTok usage between Arab and Jewish populations in Israel. The “Internet Usage and Online Safety in Arab Society in Israel (2023)” study found that 63% of Arab respondents use TikTok, while the “Social Media and Digital Platform Use in Israel (2024)” study reported that 51% of Jewish respondents use the platform.
Among seniors, 49% of Arab respondents reported using TikTok, compared to 39% of Jewish respondents in the second study*. These findings indicate that TikTok is more popular among Arab internet users overall, including among the senior population, which likely contributes to the higher rates of online harm experienced on the platform in Arab society.
Strengthening Digital Literacy and Intergenerational Bonds
Dima Assad Nikola, ISOC-IL’s Head of Digital Inclusion Programs commented:
“The digital safety workshops that resulted from this important collaboration are crucial not only for providing practical tools for safe internet use but also for strengthening intergenerational connections and fostering a safer environment and a shared digital language between younger and older generations. ISOC-IL’s research and the reports it receives through its Internet Safety Hotline highlight the widespread nature of online threats, underscoring the need to raise awareness about safe internet use—particularly among the Arab community and older adults.”
*Note: The two studies used slightly different age groups for seniors— the 2023 study classified seniors as 65 and older, while the 2024 study defined them as 60 and older.
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