Short-video platforms (e.g., Douyin, Kuaishou) are ubiquitous among China’s older adults, offering entertainment and social connection yet posing risks of algorithm-driven overuse. This study proposes and tests a moderated model in which family support and digital skills buffer the pathway from perceived algorithmic personalization to excessive short-video use. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and the Differential Susceptibility to Media Effects Model, we hypothesize that personalization elevates immersion and mood-repair motives that, in turn, increase overuse, while higher family support and digital skills attenuate these links. We outline a multi-site survey (N ≈ 900, ≥60 years) with device-logged minutes/day and validated scales (problematic use, cohesion, digital skills), analyzed via SEM with planned robustness checks. Findings aim to identify dignity-preserving, family-integrated, skills-building levers for digital well-being in later life.

Keywords: Older Adults, China, Algorithmic Personalization, Excessive Use, Family Cohesion, Digital Literacy, Short-Video.

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