McAfee has announced its Online Safety for Silver Surfers programme – a free initiative that uses McAfee and Intel employees as volunteers to teach seniors ways to stay safe and secure while interacting online.
According to a McAfee study called Fifty-Plus Booms Online, which looks at the behaviours of individuals aged 50-75 in the US, the 50+ demographic is spending an average of five hours a day online.
The survey also found that 80% of seniors are using social media. Of those seniors online, more than half have also voluntarily shared personal information with people they have never met in person (outside of online shopping and business transactions).
“The Internet creates excellent opportunities for seniors, especially when it comes to staying connected with friends and family, planning vacations, or online banking,” says Michelle Dennedy, chief privacy officer at McAfee. “Just like every age group, seniors can fall prey to their own set of risks.
“Through our Senior Citizens programme, we teach them the tips they need to stay safe online, including how to create a strong password, look out for Internet scams and interact safely on social media sites.”
