81% of Australians aged 65+ say tech is important in helping them keep in touch with family and friends however security and privacy concerns are the most significant barriers, with 80% fearing for their personal information and 17% reported that they have been the victim of an online, email or text message scam where they lost money.
The research* found that eight in ten older Australians describe technology as very (41%) or somewhat (40%) important in helping them keep in touch with family and friends. Using videos calls (48%) to make or receive calls has overtaken use of landlines (45%), but mobile phones are well in front at 94%. Emails (98%) and texts (93%) are used by virtually everyone as well.
However, only 39% change their passwords regularly and just 10% of people surveyed had received any cyber safety training. This is despite strong interest in learning more about avoiding online scams (58%), how to recognise phishing emails or texts (49%), safe online banking practices (45%) and password security (40%).
Hence, it very important that the devices chosen and the environment they operate in provide built-in safety and security. By choosing a BigPurplePhone, many of these problems are reduced. With no access to online stores and restricted access to social media, there are fewer opportunities for scammers to contact the users.
By using a large screen with reduced menus, BigPurplePhone shields users from physical and cognitive barriers, such as vision impairment, reduced manual dexterity and memory issues, to allow them to easily keep in touch with their family and friends.
Financial and access constraints also play a role, as devices, internet connections and subscriptions can be expensive for those on the Age Pension.
BigPurpleCare subscriptions include a BigPurpleSIM at a reasonable monthly fee allowing unlimited calls and enough data to stay connected.
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Reference:
The Benetas Digital Inclusion & Cyber Safety Among Australian Seniors Research Study surveyed just over 1,000 Australians aged 65+ by an online panel* to learn about their use of technology, explore cyber safety concerns and identify opportunities to lift confidence and capability when using technology.
