October is a very busy month for commemorations. It is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and once again, NTCA and CyberShare: The Small Broadband Provider ISAC are Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champions. I am also looking forward to new ideas that come from our member companies as their teams gather at our CyberShare Summit. It is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month, reminding me of the important role technology can play in helping survivors and their loved ones end the cycle of violence. One only has to look as far as Liz Kohler, a Smart Rural Community Live presenter, with her amazing Nexion Solutions innovative wearable device for emergency response. Finally, we also recognize Digital Inclusion Week in October, raising awareness about the vital importance of inclusion and access in our increasingly digital world.
The common theme in all these commemorative events is wellbeing, and today I’d like to focus on one group of Americans that need our collective help: our seniors. Now, you can define “seniors” in any way you want, but to me, it is those in their “golden years” who did not grow up with the technologies we have today, and who may need the support of younger folks to engage fully and healthily in today’s online world. (But even as I am typing this, I must admit I recently watched a self-help video on how to allow specific notifications on my phone when silenced, so I am likely slipping into this category a well.)
From online banking to social media engagement and video streaming, the opportunities to fall victim to the latest scam or plain old digital confusion are plentiful. And I have seen first-hand the devastating impacts of these trends on seniors in my life and those of my friends, colleagues and family members. I know I have commiserated with many of you on the challenges of supporting our aging parents safely in this space. My 90-year-old father developed a fondness for senior online dating sites but quickly lost perspective on which sites were legitimate and which digital clicks led to scams looking to take advantage of lonely people. This opened the door to a few iPhones, gift cards and cryptocurrency being purchased when they shouldn’t have been, and that led to credit card and banking fraud that has taken me years to unravel and rebuild for him.
Not unlike my own story, it’s also a recurring concern NTCA members have shared with me for years, which is why I’m delighted to share that our Smart Rural Community (SRC) program has produced an educational series for seniors to help keep them safe online. The SRC Senior Safety Series consists of three short, informative videos designed to equip your customers with practical tools and knowledge to protect themselves and their loved ones from cyber-attacks. These videos are straightforward, engaging and packed with real tips to help seniors navigate the online world confidently. They cover these essential topics: passwords and protecting yourself online, understanding phishing and how to spot it and responding to data breaches.
What’s more, as an SRC provider, you have a unique opportunity to bring this valuable content directly to your community. I strongly encourage you to host in-person training sessions or interactive workshops in your office or partner with your local library or senior centers to make it even easier for seniors to attend. Download the series, the PowerPoint slides we’ve prepared to accompany the videos and get ideas on how to utilize the videos today.
What a wonderful way to connect directly with your customers while also sharing a valuable safety tool with them. Win-win! NTCA will share more about senior safety during Digital Inclusion Week next week and our very own Senior Safety Day on October 9, so follow us on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn to participate and share with your network! And if you are not a part of our SRC program, now is a great time to join to gain access to this exclusive resource. I am truly passionate about how being a Smart Rural Community provider is a wonderful advocacy brand to separate you from all the other providers who have popped into our space in a BEAD–funding driven environment.
As more of us age (present company included), we will need to care for each other to build safer communities and curb the threat of online scams. Take the first step today by downloading and sharing our Senior Safety Series – and don’t forget to tell us how it goes!