Eighty percent of older Aussies are not confident about their online safety

Key points:

• Ten percent of older Australians are ‘very confident in their ability to stay safe online,’ according to a recent survey of approximately 1,000 Australians
• Approximately two million Australians now use a free online program called BeConnected to increase their digital literacy
• Improving cyber safety includes using strong passwords and multi-factor authorisation

While 17 percent of older Australians ‘have been the victim of an online, email or text message scam where they lost money,’ approximately 45 percent of Australians aren’t sure if they have been victims of online scams, according to a recent survey.

Older Australians make up 16 percent of Australia’s total population, according to recent data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The number of older Australians is expected to grow by up to 23 percent by 2066.

The most common forms of digital communication for older Australians include email, mobile calls and text messaging, according to data from a recent survey.

While older Australians are more connected than they have ever been, only 10 percent are ‘very confident in their ability to stay safe online.’

Elyssia Clark, a general manager of customer insights and marketing, commented on the concerns that the majority of older Australians have while using technology. 

“There are flow-on benefits for keeping connected with families and friends but technology use has also resulted in 80 percent of older Australians being concerned about the security of their personal information when they are online,” she said. 

“[…] We found privacy and security concerns are the most common limitation to using technology, well above physical, financial or language-related limitations.

“We are using the insights and findings from our research to develop a cyber safety training program that caters to the needs of older Australians and helps keep them and their

families safe online.” 

One respondent of another Australian survey commented that while they try to engage in new technology, they face continuous challenges.

“We are being forced into the digital world and I am trying to keep up to date with most of it but it is moving so fast.”

For older Australians who want to learn more about using technology, the government created a free online program called BeConnected. In addition to countless articles to teach you about technology and cybersafety, there are also interactive courses on this website to help you learn about the features of your own devices. 

If you’re using a laptop or desktop computer, these games from BeConnected are suitable to improve your cognitive skills. Other games are also available on your smartphone or tablet, including WordUp.

Approximately two million Australians have used the BeConnected program, with Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant having recently commented about the benefits.

“Technology has a wonderful ability to connect, enable and empower individuals and we must ensure older Australians are not only included in our increasingly online world but that they feel confident benefiting from it,” she said.

However, more than 70 percent of older Australians prefer offline training methods, according to a recent survey from the Australian Government. 

Libraries and schools across Australia also run free in-person services to support older Australians in developing digital literacy skills. This includes the Young Mentors program where Australian high school students assist older Australians with using technology. You can watch a video on the official website to learn more about this program and how to participate. 

Keeping yourself safe online and protected from scammers is important. Different measures include having strong passwords that are changed regularly and using multi-factor authentication. 

A strong password will generally include at least eight letters, a capital letter and at least one special character such as !, ? or #. 

Approximately 75 percent of older Australians use strong passwords to minimise cyber security risks when using online services.

Although it can seem tempting to reuse older passwords or use the same passwords for different accounts, this is not recommended. Cyber-criminals who identify one of your passwords could try using it on your other accounts and access personal data or financial details.

Multi-factor authentication means that more than one piece of information is required to log into your account. For example, if you use an email address to log in, a code could be sent to your connected mobile phone number to confirm that it is you logging into your account. 

Would increasing your cyber security knowledge make you feel more comfortable in using technology?

Let the team at Talking Aged Care know on social media. 

For more information and news in the aged care industry, subscribe to our free newsletter. 

Relevant content:

Eighty percent of older Aussies could benefit from medicinal cannabis

A new government strategy could impact how your personal information is shared

Almost half of older Aussies living in aged care homes could benefit from this therapy