New year, new focus on online safety and bringing everyone along for the ride.

The eSafety Commissioner is encouraging everyone to support their older relatives and friends by taking the time to check their device settings and reinforce the importance of protecting their online presence.

Many of our older residents would have received gifts of technology for Christmas, such as smart phones, home assistants, Ipads or laptops. All welcomed and with the best of intentions, but sometimes these electronic devices can also be overwhelming and risky for older Australians if not set up securely.

These days it's almost impossible to avoid going online, as more entertainment and essential services go digital. So the push is on to build the confidence, digital skills and online safety of older Australians.

Whether you want to pick up new skills or dive into a new topic, you can access the free learning resources online or join one of the thousands of community organisations running free computer classes across Australia.

Team Leader at Bogan Shire Library Brooke Whaley told the Western Plains App that priority is placed on assisting elderly residents with technology as many attend the Library in search of help.

“Prior to Covid, we ran a program entitled ‘Tech Savvy Seniors’, a Telstra-devised program assisting older community members by teaching them computer and phone skills. The program shows its participants how to send an email, pay a bill online, how to search for information and connect with family via apps,” said Mrs. Whaley.

“We are planning on once again running this program in 2023 to assist the elderly in our town to get a grasp on the ever-changing technology,” she said.

Ms Whaley says the program helps build skills and confidence in using technology.

It has given many seniors a new lease on life being able to keep in touch with families and friends, access government, health and other essential services and provided them with a way to discover more about the things they love.

There are a range of resources available to take the fear out of online transactions.

Using technology can also take away the sense of isolation that so many suffer particularly in central and western NSW where distance from family and isolation is a major issue.

“Technology and electronic devices can help open up a wide and wonderful new world for older Australians – from facilitating video calls and connection on social media, to introducing new hobbies like listening to podcasts or playing online games,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said. 

“Access to services and social connection through digital technology and the internet is empowering. However, we know that it can also be overwhelming to an older person who may not feel confident online and doesn’t know what to look for when setting up a new device or signing up for a digital service.

“Even those of us who use technology on a daily basis can find it challenging to create strong passwords and review privacy settings across our devices and accounts. For those older Australians who haven’t had as much exposure to the online world, this can be an even more intimidating process full of confusing tech jargon," she said.

“Make it your New Year’s resolution to improve the digital skills of those around you by taking time to share the importance of online safety.”

Where to start

Keep these online safety tips front of mind to start 2023 securely, by making the most of the security features available on devices and building good habits to keep you and your loved ones safe online:

• Make your passwords strong and unique, and set up multi-factor authentication on accounts.
• Don’t share more information than you need to: when signing up for online services or registering an account, remember that you can choose to skip fields marked as optional.
• Adjust your privacy settings on social media platforms to help protect your personal information and be mindful about how much information is in the photos or videos you share.
• Be aware of scams: there are many online, email and phone scams out there, so it’s important to stay vigilant. Remember, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is.

“No matter our age or digital skill level, we all need to be careful about the amount of personal information we disclose online, especially as technology evolves and new devices have the potential to collect extensive location and biometric information including fingerprint logins,” Ms Inman Grant said.

“In connecting our loved ones through new devices and online services, we need to make sure devices and accounts are set up securely, so we don’t unintentionally open them up to scams and other vulnerabilities.

New program opens

On top of existing programs like Tech Savvy Seniors, the federal government is now offering a new initiative to guide older people.

The Be Connected program provides a wide range of self-paced courses to help improve online safety and security settings, including how to spot scams and create strong passwords, an introduction to smart homes, and resources on getting started with laptops, desktops, tablets and mobile phones.

The courses include easy-to-follow instructions with short videos and summary sheets to download and use as helpful reference tools.

Resources are also included for families, friends, peers and local community organisations to help older Australians learn about the benefits of being online.

The eSafety Commissioner is Australia’s independent regulator for online safety. Their purpose is to help safeguard all Australians from online harms and to promote safer, more positive online experiences.

eSafety acts as a safety net for Australians who report cyberbullying, serious online abuse or image-based abuse. They can also investigate and remove seriously harmful illegal and restricted content including online child sexual exploitation material. For more information visit them here.