My aunt recently commented on one of my posts with “LOL to your family!” and I had to pause for a second. She meant well, but it made me realize how certain phrases on social media can immediately tell you someone’s age.
I’m not saying this to mock anyone. My own parents are part of the boomer generation, and watching them navigate Facebook has been both endearing and hilarious. There’s something sweet about the way they approach social media with such earnestness, even if it sometimes misses the mark.
Here are ten phrases that tend to give away a boomer’s age the moment they hit that post button.
1. “LOL to your family”
This one always makes me smile. Boomers often use “LOL” as a sign-off rather than as a reaction to something funny. It’s like they think it means “lots of love” instead of “laughing out loud.”
My friend’s dad once commented “LOL” on a post about her dog passing away. The confusion was immediate and a bit awkward. When she gently corrected him, he was mortified. He’d been using it wrong for years, thinking he was sending love and support.
The mix-up happens because they’re applying letter-writing conventions to internet slang. In their minds, they’re ending a message the way they’d sign off a card.
2. “Google, how do I…”
Typing search queries directly into Facebook status updates is a classic move. They’ll write something like “Google, how do I remove a wine stain from carpet” right in their feed instead of actually using a search engine.
I’ve seen my uncle do this multiple times. He treats his Facebook status box like it’s a universal search bar. The comments section usually fills up with his friends either giving advice or gently pointing him toward actual Google.
What’s happening here is a fundamental misunderstanding of how different platforms work. To them, the internet is one big connected space where you can ask questions anywhere and get answers.
3. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!” (with excessive punctuation)
There’s something about birthday wishes from boomers that always involves ALL CAPS and at least five exclamation marks. It’s never just “Happy birthday, hope you have a great day.” It’s “HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE!!!!! HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!!!! GOD BLESS!!!!!”
My aunt does this without fail. Every single birthday post looks like she’s shouting through the screen. I think it comes from a genuine place of wanting to make the message feel more enthusiastic and special.
In their generation, you’d make a big deal out of birthdays with cards and phone calls. They’re trying to recreate that same energy online, but the translation gets lost. On the internet, all caps reads as yelling rather than enthusiasm.
4. “Shared from [person’s name]”
When boomers share a post, they often feel the need to announce it. They’ll add their own caption saying “Shared from Barbara” or “This is from my friend Tom’s page” as if we can’t see that information already.
This reveals their approach to social media as a more personal, face-to-face kind of communication. They want to give credit the way they would in a conversation where context matters. The platform already does that automatically, but they don’t trust it.
It’s actually quite thoughtful when you think about it. They’re being conscientious about attribution in a way that younger generations don’t even consider necessary.
5. “Call me” or “Can we talk?” (as a public comment)
Nothing says boomer quite like leaving a vague, slightly concerning comment like “We need to talk” or “Call me when you get this” on someone’s public post or photo.
My aunt does this regularly. She’ll comment “Call me” on a random picture of our daughter, and it immediately makes us panic. Is something wrong? Is someone in the hospital? Turns out she just wants to chat about weekend plans.
They’re treating Facebook like a phone message system. In their minds, they’re leaving you a note to get in touch, not realizing it looks urgent or even ominous to everyone else scrolling by.
6. “I don’t know how this got on my page”
Boomers will share something accidentally and then leave a comment saying they have no idea how it appeared on their timeline. They’ll blame Facebook, their phone, or some mysterious technical glitch rather than accepting they clicked the share button.
As psychologists note, older adults often experience what he calls “technophobia,” which can lead to a defensive stance when they make mistakes with technology. They assume the platform is working against them rather than recognizing their own learning curve.
I’ve watched my dad share the same meme three times in one day, each time insisting he didn’t do it. The platform isn’t out to get him. He’s just still figuring out which buttons do what.
7. “I’m so blessed”
While plenty of people across generations use this phrase, boomers tend to attach it to the most mundane updates. “Just had coffee this morning. I’m so blessed.” “Went to the grocery store today. So blessed.”
There’s nothing wrong with gratitude, but the frequency and context can be telling. It’s like they’re applying the same earnest tone they’d use in a Christmas card to every single Facebook update.
My mother does this constantly. Every post ends with some variation of being blessed or grateful. I think it comes from genuinely wanting to stay positive online, but it can read as a bit over the top to younger users who approach social media with more casualness.
8. “Amen” (on literally anything)
Scroll through boomer Facebook and you’ll see “Amen” commented on everything from political posts to pictures of someone’s lunch. It’s become their universal response button.
I don’t think they realize how it comes across sometimes. They mean it as agreement or support, but when you comment “Amen” on a post about someone’s new car, it feels a bit out of place.
This habit likely comes from the role that religious language played in their upbringing. For many boomers, expressing agreement through spiritual language was completely normal. They’re just carrying that forward into digital spaces.
9. “ORDER CORN”
This one became internet famous after a screenshot went viral of an older person typing “ORDER CORN” into a Facebook comment section, apparently trying to add corn to an online shopping cart.
While this exact phrase might not appear often, the underlying behavior does. Boomers sometimes treat social media like it’s an all-purpose tool for everything they want to do online. They’ll type shopping lists, search queries, or commands into comment boxes and status updates.
They’re approaching the internet as one unified system rather than understanding that different websites have different functions. It’s an honest mistake that reveals how overwhelming digital literacy can be when you didn’t grow up with it.
10. “This is [name] on [name]’s account”
When boomers borrow someone else’s phone or computer to comment on Facebook, they always announce whose account they’re using. “This is Dad on Mom’s account” or “Hi everyone, this is Susan writing from Dave’s profile.”
My in-laws do this every time they’re traveling together and one of them doesn’t have their phone. They feel the need to clarify who’s actually writing the message, as if we’d be confused otherwise.
It shows they’re thinking about identity and authenticity in a way that feels almost quaint. To them, it matters that we know exactly who we’re talking to. Younger generations wouldn’t even bother with the clarification.
Final thoughts
Here’s the thing about all these phrases and habits. They’re not actually problems. They’re just different.
My parents and in-laws use Facebook in a way that feels genuine to them, even if it’s not how the platform was designed to work. They’re trying to maintain the same warmth and personal connection they’ve always valued, just in a new format.
When my aunt writes “LOL to your family,” she means it with her whole heart. When my dad types in all caps, he’s genuinely excited. And when my other aunt leaves a public comment saying “Call me,” she just wants to hear my voice.
The internet wasn’t built for their generation, but they’re doing their best to make it work. I hope when I’m their age and my daughter is rolling her eyes at how I use whatever new technology exists, she’ll remember that I’m just trying to stay connected in the way that makes sense to me.
That’s all any of us are really doing anyway.
