Over the last few months there has been a lot of talk about how the more senior members of our society are missing out by not having internet access at home or the skill to use it.
They can’t access cheaper home and motor insurance, utilities, local and national government information, have difficulties in getting information about all sorts of different things, and don’t have the opportunity to use Skype to see grand children who have moved away grow up and get married, or go shopping for their groceries online.
This maybe true. However, we have only to look in the media every week to see cases of elderly people being ripped off by con men cold calling, telling them they requires fake home repairs and services, or sending fake lottery winning notices to the more vulnerable.
If these more vulnerable people had access to the internet just think how much worse it could be for them, the internet is like the old wild west with no rules, and open to abuse from all around the world not just England, scams like phishing to obtain your bank account details, identity theft, fake warnings telling you to click here and there that can lead to a user losing control of their computer unless you pay a ransom.
Until we can find a way to protect the more mature and naive amongst us, then I am sorry to have to say the best thing is for day centres and the like, to have machines available, along with trusted assistants to assist people with their internet use and keep them safe.
B.C.McErlain
Birstall, West Yorkshire.
