Technology is a blessing and a curse. We’re living in a moment where these cross currents are increasingly obvious. It’s probably not a coincidence that AI is exploding at the precise moment online threats are peaking.
Long gone are the days of using paper and getting mail. Today, everything has moved online. And, accessing information online requires layers of security. The ongoing battle to keep us safe online has left many seniors in the dust. I cannot overstate how difficult technology is making things for our aging population.
Here are some examples many seniors face daily.
You get an email alerting you to a possible suspicious charge on your credit card. Did you just accidentally call a scammer, instead? You search Google to find the login page to review your money. Did you just log into a fake website and expose your login credentials? A warning about a software update just popped up on your screen. Did pushing that help button just give a criminal access to my computer? How exactly do you access that six-digit text code when you’re still talking on the phone? Why is my Face-ID not working anymore? Didn’t I use my fingerprint to login into that app before?
The worry and hassle trickles down the family tree. I’m certain I’m not the only one who moonlights as a tech support and cybersecurity consultant. Sadly, not all seniors have access to local or distant family members willing or able to help. Don’t get me started on just how difficult it is to deliver tech support on a phone.
A better solution is screaming to be created. Admittedly, it’s a pipe-dream. Nonetheless, the thought of it gives me a feeling of hope!
What’s desperately needed by seniors is a trusted team of “tech-navigators” designed to ensure online safety and minimize frustration. It’s not deep tech-support, it’s simply tech-navigation. Even so, this trusted team needs to be highly-vetted (deep background checked, not Best Buy) and endorsed by already established and trusted entities, such as local senior centers or municipalities.
Now, it certainly wouldn’t be cheap to deliver a high-quality and trusted tech-navigator service. But I sense the peace-of-mind would feel almost priceless to all concerned. I suspect family members, if needed, would help subsidize the cost. But, let’s be totally honest, the cost to protect our seniors against technology’s advances should be borne by the very businesses that benefit most from it.
At the top of this list sits big-tech, and the banks, credit card companies and brokerage firms. While they will balk, they deeply understand the phrase, “It’s just a cost of doing business!” Technology is both a blessing and a curse, yes. But, it’s also inflicting a heavy cost.
