In a mobile world we think of how easy it makes our everyday life. We rarely stop and think about the people in our lives that it makes life hard for. While using your cell phone to look up restaurants or seeing who ate what during lunch on Facebook may be fun and exciting, to someone vulnerable such as your client or your child it could be a place for people to prey on them. Making sure we teach safe internet practices to our young and elderly is so important.
Making sure they remember not to write all of their passwords and codes on a single sheet of paper, telling them not to post the location of where they are at until after they leave for the safety of the user.Showing the elderly people in your life that social media is a great place to find old friends and not just a scary place when used properly can open a new chapter in their lives.
Showing someone who does not use technology in their everyday life can be a daunting task. Remember to be patient be kind, show them it does not have to be an inconvenient tool to learn. Using the book Android Phones for Dummies or IPhone for Dummies can help them learn step by step instructions that won’t rush them.
While it can be fun playing Candy Crush all day and using sites to buy everyday needs can be a tool to stay independent, making sure you are using a credible and honest site is important. Check if they are being endorsed by third parties, Making sure you’re not running into broken links, you should be able to click on the links on the webpage if it is a credible source. And most importantly if you have not heard of the site do not use your credit card information on it. Signing up with a PayPal account could help save you time, money, and your credit score.
The most important thing you should tell someone learning to use the internet or learning to use it safely is to have fun. Make sure they are using their phone to its full potential. Sometimes telling them phones are like books read the whole page to find where you need to go if you find yourself confused or lost it is okay to close what you’re doing and start over. If you’re on your phone find a fun app that will stimulate your mind while help you pass the time when you’re bored.
