The internet enables people to not only get updates about the latest news but also schedule medical appointments. Students can use the internet to take part in online classes and teachers use it to teach. However, the internet is not a safe place. Millions of cyberattacks take place every year compromising personal information, credit card details, and much more. However, ISPs are increasingly working hard to ensure secure communication over their network even on mobile like Spectrum mobile plans.

Most young people are quite tech-savvy and can protect themselves from many online malpractices and frauds. Senior citizens and the elderly, on the other hand, are not so well-versed with technology and are easy prey to cyberattacks, malware, and phishing scams.

 Read the following passages to know about the five internet safety tips for seniors.

Never Share Personal Information

Talk to the elderly in your family and let them know that it is not safe for them to share their personal information online. Especially, tell them that relevant organizations will never approach them in the form of pop-up cards or new webpages to ask about their social security number, date of birth, address, bank account details, and credit card information. Inform them that such data is extremely sensitive and the authorities realize this. Therefore, they will only ask for it over the phone or when you physically visit their offices.

Install Antivirus Software

Antivirus software helps to detect viruses and threat programs that can compromise the security of a computer. To protect the senior members of your family from online viruses or cyberattacks, make sure to install quality antivirus software on the computer. Keep all of the software up-to-date and regularly scan the device for any potential threats. The antivirus will not only identify them but also perform remedial actions.

Set Up Strong Passwords

Most senior members of our community are not good at remembering passwords. Furthermore, they create weak passwords. It is important to tell them about the benefits of creating strong passwords that can keep their personal information and data secure. Moreover, install a good password manager app on their device so that they can store all of their passwords in a dedicated application and never lose them. Such applications also come with strong password suggestions. As a result, they will not only have secure social media accounts but strong passwords as well.

Never Open Doubtful Emails

Talk to the senior members of your family, for example, your mother or your father, and tell them that they should never open an email from an unfamiliar authority that seems suspicious. A bank credit card company, Government Agencies, and related organizations never ask for personal information over emails. On the other hand, cybercriminals commonly use emails to get personal information from users. Ransomware is a kind of an online attack in which the hacker withholds crucial user information. The intruder then demands a large amount of money to return the data. In many circumstances, even after the user pays the amount, the data still gets compromised or becomes public. Therefore, it is critical to refrain from opening unfamiliar emails.

Shop Safely When Online

The elderly and senior members of the community like to purchase from the web thanks to the recent boom of e-commerce. It fascinates them and quite often you would find them ordering for something online. However, many of these online websites turn out to be scams and frauds. Therefore, educate them about making purchases from only the most reliable websites. Obviously, they cannot understand technical terms but you can at least recommend a few reliable websites to them to make their lives easier.

With the help of the above steps, you can make sure that the senior members of your family can surf safely on the web. In this way, not only can their security on the web be ensured, but they can also have an unparalleled browsing experience on the internet.