Reducing Online Risks for Elderly
Recent statistics from Ofcom show that the number of people aged 65 and over accessing the internet has risen by more than a quarter in the past year. This has been driven by a three-fold increase in the use of tablet computers, which are easier and more intuitive for older users compared to traditional PCs. However, with this increase in use comes the issue of how to keep our loved ones safe online.
It’s impossible to underestimate the impact of unsafe online behaviour. The cost to us, our families, friends and the wider community is enormous. Government research shows that a whopping 40 percent of us have experienced a cyber-crime in the past year alone and last year there were nearly 60,000 cyber-related fraud reports, with an average loss of over £3,000 per incident. Older users are particularly at risk, as many scammers and schemes target older people, who can feel they are too old to learn how to use and install safety measures online and are afraid of getting it wrong.
Reducing the Risks
To tackle this problem, a new cross-Government cyber security campaign, ‘Cyber Streetwise’, has been launched as a part of the government’s National Cyber Security Programme to show us how to improve our cyber security and stay one step ahead of online fraudsters. It is important that the older generation feel confident and assured in their online safety as the internet becomes more central to their socialising and shopping. There are five easy actions people can take in order to protect themselves and others from cyber-crime:
- Using strong, memorable passwords
- Installing anti-virus software on new devices
- Checking privacy settings on social media
- Shopping safely online – always ensuring to check online retail sites are secure
- Downloading software and application patches when prompted
Remember Strong Passwords Make the Difference
A simple step we can all take to improve our cyber security is to strengthen the passwords we use for online accounts. Jacky Parsons, Director of Sense Worldwide and an expert in online behaviour, has gathered advice and security tips on this subject from a range of experts in the field including a former spy and a criminal hacker. ‘As part of our research, we looked at the most commonly used passwords,’ she explains. ‘Number one is ‘password’! You have to make the effort to find passwords or create a system that’s unique to you and in particular, it’s important not to use the same password for everything.’
The former spy that Parsons worked with revealed some great techniques for creating safer but easy-to-remember passwords. ‘He said that the longest passwords of at least 10 characters are better,’ she recalls. ‘You could start with a line from the lyrics of a favourite song or a poem and then customise it in a way that’s relevant to you or your sense of humour. Don’t forget to change some of the characters for symbols or numbers’.
Monica Whitty, Professor of Contemporary Media at Leicester University, together with colleagues at Leicester and Oxford, is currently studying the relationship between password choices and security. ‘Many of us make silly mistakes,’ she says. ‘It might sound obvious, but you should never write down your password on a post-it note and stick it on your computer, for example. It makes it very easy for somebody to log into your account and carry out criminal activity under your name, or steal your identity. Your data is precious, so take care of it. You wouldn’t leave your credit cards around for anybody to see or use and your online data is just as important.’ If you or your parents have trouble remembering complicated passwords, try breaking them down into manageable chunks the way we used to learn telephone numbers.
Keeping Up-To-Date
While many of us might have anti-virus and firewall security software installed on our personal computers at home, yet our mobile internet-enabled devices, such as phones, tablets and laptops, are often neglected in comparison. ‘Psychologically, a tablet feels like a very personal device. We put covers on them and have our photos on the screen. It feels like an extension of ourselves, but it’s actually a portal to a public realm’, says Whitty.
‘Lots of us feel very relaxed and comfortable online because we’re using the internet at ease, in our own homes,’ reveals Parsons. ‘Unlike walking down a dark alley in an unfamiliar neighbourhood late at night when we’re totally on our guard, when we’re surfing the net at home, we don’t adopt the same sort of wariness. We’re in our comfort zone, so we’re much more likely to take risks online.’
Whitty agrees that prioritising software updates is a simple action we can all take in the fight against cyber-crime, but it’s something that most of us don’t even realise the importance of, assuming, incorrectly, that updates just offer us flashy new versions of our existing programmes, with unnecessary extra features.
Check Your Privacy When Being Social
Many older people are now joining social networking sites, such as Facebook, to keep in touch with grandchildren, family members and friends. This is a great way to reduce the loneliness older people living alone can feel, but many of us leak out too much personal information without even realising it. Even the username you choose might give away your age and gender in just one word and this information can be used to hack into your other accounts. It can seem confusing to adjust your privacy settings especially when the settings get changed by the firms who run the sites from time to time. You have to keep up-to-date with it.
Checking Out Securely
Shopping online is incredibly useful and convenient for older users who might be less mobile and, according to the latest data from Ofcom, we’re all shopping online more than ever before. The amount spent by UK shoppers online increased on average by 16 per cent per person in 2012 compared to 2011. It’s easy to shop safely online when you know what to look out for. ‘The best advice is to shop on reputable websites,’ says Doctor Sue Black, Founder and CEO of Savvify. ‘Only shop on sites that have secure encryption, make sure the web address for the payment page starts with ‘https://’ instead of ‘http://’ – the ‘S’ stands for ‘secure’ and don’t share any of your personal details on a page which is not secure.’
A locked padlock symbol should appear in the web browser window frame (or in the address bar depending on your browser) and the name of the retailer should turn green too when accessing a page that requires you to add your payment details.
One basic check to make before you place an order online is to check that the retailer displays their full contact details. ‘It would be a bit odd if they just had a PO Box address,’ says Black. ‘Reputable traders are always easy to reach. Keep your email confirmation form as proof of your order in case of any problems.
The website www.cyberstreetwise.com is a source of up to date information, resources and advice. As well as easy-to-digest information and downloadable content, there are interactive resources such as videos and quizzes to help us get to grips with our online security.
Cyber Streetwise can be found on Facebook, Twitter @cyberstreetwise and YouTube
Join the conversation on #BeCyberStreetwise
