If all ages are influenced by misinformation, should there be any age limits on voting?

Democracy is a system where citizens have the power to shape their government, a system that has grown to include voices once excluded.
Some argue that the voting age should be raised so that only “non-misled” citizens participate. This assumes that political maturity and resistance to misinformation suddenly appear at a certain age, a claim that evidence contradicts.
During the 2018 and 2022 elections in Brazil, research from New York University found that voters over 65 shared 6.8 times more false political content online than voters aged 18–29. If susceptibility to misinformation were the standard, many older voters would also have to be disqualified. Age alone is not a problem, and narrowing participation would weaken, not strengthen, democracy.

In this era, Misinformation is a problem of technology not generation. An example is that"in 2022, a deepfake video falsely showed Volodymyr Zelenskyy surrendering to Russia". While young voters often detected the manipulation, older voters were more easily influenced. Any electorate can be misled, and filtering by age misses the root issue: exposure, literacy, and verification skills.
Voting decisions are also shaped by charisma, identity politics, and perception. When Zelenskyy moved from entertainer to political leader, voters of all ages were influenced by his public image. Even well-informed citizens sometimes vote based on appeal rather than policy.

Raising the voting age in pursuit of “non-misled voters” misunderstands democracy’s foundation. Experience alone does not guarantee sound judgment, and younger citizens today often show strong digital literacy and civic awareness. A practical approach is empowerment, not exclusion.programs in schools and communities let students practice spotting misleading posts, verifying sources, and thinking critically before sharing.

Historically, democracies have expanded participation because legitimacy comes from representation, not perfection. Trusting and preparing citizens, rather than excluding them, ensures a stronger, more resilient democracy. Democracy succeeds not by perfect voters, but by giving every citizen the chance to learn, decide, and have their voice count.