The misuse of social media among middle-aged and older adults can lead to negative consequences such as addiction and financial losses. This is a part of the misuse of social media. Parent-child relationship may affect the emotions and behaviors of middle-aged and older adults when using social media. This study, through a questionnaire survey, found that the frequency of negative interactions between parents and adult children is positively correlated with the degree of parents’ reliance on social media. Additionally, the frequency of positive interactions and communication is associated with parents’ impulsive consumption behaviors. Both factors also affect the willingness of parents to inform their children after encountering scams, thereby affecting their ability to prevent fraud when using social media.