ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS A REAL GAME-CHANGER SUMMER 24 The World’s #1 Internet Magazine MOVE YOUR MOVIE NIGHTS OUTSIDE DO YOU FOLLOW SOCIAL MEDIA ETIQUETTE? 21 TIPS FOR TEACHING TECH TO SENIORS WebsiteCompass
THE SWEET SPOT WITH OUTDOOR FAMILY At Outdoor Family, we want to provide you with all of the simplest ways to spend time outside as a family. Whether you are planning an epic RV roadtrip or you are trying to keep your sanity while keeping kids busy this summer, you’ll find everything you need at outdoorfamily.com. From gardening to hiking to camping and adventures at home, find the sweetest activities for you to spend time together outdoors this summer and beyond. @youroutdoorfamily
WebsiteCompass 1 8 Contents WebsiteCompass 18 Website Compass™ is a publication of Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. 4815 Caravelle Drive Fort Collins, CO 80526 970-818-5012 ISSN 1525-951X No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, electronic, photocopying, recording, mechanical, or otherwise without prior written permission of the publisher. Website Compass™ is a trademark of Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. Copyright© 2024 by Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. TRADEMARKS – All brand names and product names used in this publication are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Website Compass magazine is an independent magazine and is not affiliated with, nor has it been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation, Google, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook. All screen shots are the property of their respective owners. ADVERTISERS – To obtain advertising information, contact: Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. 4815 Caravelle Drive Fort Collins, CO 80526 970-818-5012 INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS – To obtain additional information about distribution of Website Compass magazine to your internet subscribers and a free customized online version of Website Compass, contact: Shane Petersen Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. 4815 Caravelle Drive Fort Collins, CO 80526 970-818-5012 shanep@cornerstonenow.com Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc. (the Author and Publisher) as well as any participating Internet Service Provider Partners hereby disclaim all warranties relating to Website Compass magazine or its website, whether expressed or implied, including without limitation any implied warrantied of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. Although the Author and its ISP Partners believe the information provided is accurate, neither party claims responsibility for any damage or loss of data to a user’s computer caused by utilizing this information. The Author and its ISP Partners will not be liable for any special, incidental, consequential, indirect, or similar damages due to loss of data or any other reason when utilizing information/tutorials from Website Compass magazine or its websites. In no event shall the Author or ISP Partner be liable for any damages, regardless of the form of the claim. The person using the information contained in Website Compass magazine bears all risk as to the use of the information provided. Cornerstone Group is not responsible for the quality, performance, or reliability of third-party tools or software. 2 10 16 13 FEATURE STORY 2 Artificial Intelligence Is a Real Game-Changer You may be surprised how much AI impacts daily life INTERNET CONNECTIONS 8 Move Your Movie Nights Outside Setting up a backyard movie theater is easier than it sounds SOCIAL MEDIA BASICS 10 Do You Follow Social Media Etiquette? Consider these dos and don’ts for getting along online BACK TO BASICS 13 21 Tips for Teaching Tech to Seniors Take the opportunity to share time and learn new skills together BEYOND THE BASICS 16 Beware of Peer-to-Peer Payment Scams Cybercriminals have all kinds of tricks up their sleeves FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 18 Ask Dr. Webbie Answers to your internet questions A TO Z 19 Internet Glossary Words and definitions Tutorials in This Issue 12 How to Edit Your Posts on Facebook 12 How to Edit Your Posts on X 12 How to Edit Your Posts on Instagram 12 How to Edit Your Posts on LinkedIn
2 WebsiteCompass In the following pages, we highlight some of the most prevalent areas in which AI is now used. You’ll learn how AI operates in customer service, education, transportation, travel, robotics, and health care. We also offer a brief history of AI, consumer concerns about it, and tips and facts to round out your understanding of this fascinating innovation. From performing surgeries to enhancing education to taking over tasks that would be dangerous for humans, AI-based applications and devices improve human lives. As with any new technology, though, people have understandable reservations about the downsides of AI. Many experts agree that its potential to help humans outweighs the risks. We invite you to make up your own mind as you review this content. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a machine that can mimic some aspects of human intelligence, such as performing simple transactions, compiling information about a certain topic, and making sense of human speech. AI has become integral to a wide range of common activities, so you’re likely to encounter this technology often—whether at home, at work, or on the go. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS A REAL GAME-CHANGER You may be surprised how much AI impacts daily life QUICK TIP: ChatGPT is a chatbot that can be used to create a resume, get a movie recommendation, or write music.
WebsiteCompass 3 One of the scariest predictions about AI-powered machines is that they’ll replace humans in the workforce. But the likelier scenario is that people and machines will work together side by side. May AI Take Your Order? An area where you can see this transformation happening is customer service. The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems you encounter when you call a company can often help you without any human intervention. Yet humans are there to step in when needed. If you call your electric utility, for example, you may hear options for paying your bill, checking the status of an outage, and other similar transactions that can be performed through pressing numbers on your phone keypad or speaking instructions that the IVR can understand. For more complex interactions, you may be directed to a human representative. In this scenario and others, both AIassisted machines and humans have something to offer. Machines can be programmed to perform simple tasks, are highly efficient, don’t get bored with repetitive tasks, and don’t need breaks or vacations. But humans can express empathy, understand the nuances of company-customer relationships, and excel at higher-level functions such as setting and executing strategy and ensuring ethical business practices. The combination of AI and human assistance provides the best of both worlds. The result is more personalized, more proactive, more consistent service at places like clothing retailers, financial institutions, and health care providers. Expect the AI-based systems at such companies to increasingly do things like help you find the perfect item or service for your needs and prompt you to take the right steps in ensuring your physical and financial health. How AI Evolved The concept of AI began in 1950 when British computer scientist Alan Turing posed the question, “Can machines think?”Many scientists believed the answer was yes, and they began researching how to make it happen. But progress was slow until the 1990s. In 1996, IBM’s chess-playing computer, Deep Blue, beat the reigning world chess champion at the game. Around this time, additional advances were made in the areas of speech recognition, domain knowledge, and the development of search engines such as Google, which was launched in 1998. In 2011, another IBM computer, Watson, beat humans on the TV quiz show Jeopardy! Around the same time, researchers pursued natural language processing, which led to the advent of voice assistants like Siri and Alexa. Meanwhile, big data and deep learning techniques led to many AI abilities that we see today—including predictive analytics, which helps businesses make decisions. FAST FACT: In retail, AI is helping researchers use cues from consumer behavior to develop new products.
4 WebsiteCompass AI Gives Instructors Much-Needed Support You might not think of AI technology as something that can bring humans closer together. But it can help instructors be more present and helpful to their students. Personalized Learning Perhaps the most valuable aspect of AI in education is its ability to create personalized learning programs for students. These programs provide game-based educational experiences, customized recommendations, and other features to help students progress. Administrative Tasks Instructors must juggle numerous roles, including teacher, tutor, disciplinarian, and record keeper. The more these tasks can be performed by assistants, including electronic ones, the more time instructors can devote to students. AI solutions help by tracking student progress, communicating with parents, and recommending learning resources. Content Creation AI can help instructors develop effective lesson content. It can create simulations of unavailable resources such as lab experiments, lecture videos, and lesson elements. It can even generate entire lesson plans based on the needs of specific classrooms. Testing and Grading Getting accurate information about how much students are learning relies on highquality testing. AI-based applications can analyze test results to get the most accurate understanding of progress among individuals and entire classrooms. Such applications can also grade assignments, quizzes, and tests to give instructors more time to interact directly with students. Supplemental Instruction Programs and applications based on AI can assist students when instructors aren’t available. Chatbots can be accessible 24/7/365 so students can study when it suits them. Such tools can also help students progress with their lessons at their own pace. These solutions offer consistency and an alternative for students challenged with social anxiety. FAST FACT: Automation in the education sector is expected to increase threefold with the use of AI. Source: statista.com/topics/11516/artificialintelligence-ai-in-labor-and-productivity/ #topicOverview Feature Story Consumers Are Concerned About AI New technology brings exciting opportunities as well as understandable concerns. Here are some of the most common issues that worry people regarding the use of AI in the business world: • Job loss. A majority of people are at least somewhat concerned that AI will replace jobs. • Opinions. People worry that companies will use AI to inadequately generate information they rely on, such as product descriptions. • Chatbots. People dislike the experience of interacting with chatbots that are unreliable in answering their questions. • Data privacy. People are afraid that their privacy is at risk because AI is able to collect so much personal data. • Scams. People are anxious about the risk of AI-based systems using information about them to gain access to their financial or personal information. Fortunately, organizations like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are closely watching AI developments to help prevent these scenarios.
WebsiteCompass 5 When you and your passengers get in your vehicle, AI is also there. It supports several aspects of driving, including operation, navigation, traffic management, insurance, and manufacturing. Vehicles Are Driving the AI Era Operation Driver-assist features include collision warning, automatic braking, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot detection. These features help drivers remain focused and drive more safely. In the coming years, advanced features such as pedestrian detection and self-parking will become more common. In the distant future, most cars on the road will be fully self-operating. Navigation Apps like Google Maps and Waze are based on AI that can analyze historical data and current conditions to find the best route. They also collect real-time traffic information from drivers and report that information back to app users to help them follow their route and avoid traffic jams. Traffic Management AI-based systems analyze data from cameras, sensors, other equipment, and even vehicles themselves. The results are predictions about when traffic will be lighter or heavier in certain areas, prompting operators to take temporary actions such as rerouting traffic. The information can also be used to create more permanent solutions such as installing roundabouts or new traffic signals. Insurance Insurance companies use AI to learn about policy holders’ driving habits and offer discounts for those with the safest behaviors. Insurers additionally use AIbased chatbots to provide quicker service for basic actions like checking benefits and paying bills. Insurers even use AI to help drivers submit claims. Manufacturing AI is used in the manufacturing of many products, including vehicles. It operates machines and robots that assemble parts and perform more behind-the-scenes work, such as optimizing the supply chain and designing cars. QUICK TIP: If your insurance company tracks your driving, it can access other data as well. With AI-based Processes, the Future of Travel Is Now AI is embedded in all aspects of travel, from the time you start researching your destination until you arrive back home from your trip. For example, terms like “top 10 things to do in Rome” entered into Google cause ads and related content to appear whenever you’re online, a process based on AI functionality. Here are some other examples of AI in travel: • Chatbots that help you book flights, hotels, and activities • Apps that offer personalized activity recommendations based on previous online searches • Forecasting programs that let you know whether your flight is on time • Baggage handling and security applications that reduce the possibility of lost bags • Fraud prevention procedures used by credit card companies to protect your transactions • Customer loyalty programs that track your activities with specific companies AI is also used in apps like GrubHub that enable you to order dinner while you unpack!
6 WebsiteCompass Feature Story Science Fiction Is Coming to Life One of the most intriguing uses of AI is within robotics. AI and robotics together form real-life versions of science fiction movie and TV plots that have captured viewers’ interest for decades. Sophia – Robot Citizen If you’ve been paying attention to the news, you might have seen Sophia, a robot built to be as human as possible and to start a discussion about AI and robot ethics. With the ability to engage in conversations, Sophia has appeared on talk shows and spoken at the U.N. Flippy – Food Preparation This AI kitchen assistant is capable of performing various commercial food preparation tasks, such as grilling, frying, and cleaning. Unlike its human coworkers, Flippy doesn’t require breaks or vacations. White Castle and the LA Dodgers have used Flippy to increase the quality of their food delivery services. Digit – Package Delivery This robot can perform many delivery driver tasks, such as carrying up to 40 pounds, climbing stairs, and traversing difficult terrains. Recently it was teamed up with Ford’s autonomous vehicles to create a fully automated delivery service. Spot – Inspection Similar in structure to a dog, Spot helps companies, such as utilities, perform difficult inspections. For example, following a storm, it can go into places where downed poles and wires make it dangerous for humans to do so. Using cameras, it helps operators assess damage and prioritize restoration activities. Pepper – Retail Assistance This friendly-looking robot was designed to assist and provide information to customers in retail stores. Like its human counterparts, Pepper can answer questions and help customers find the products they’re looking for. With the ability to recognize human emotions, it can even respond with smiles or gestures. CouldYou Have a Real-Life Rosie? Rosie from the TV show The Jetsons was a maid-like robot that helped the family with household tasks. While the research indicates real-life Rosies won’t be possible for many years, you can look forward to eliminating some chores from your task list in the not-toodistant future. Recently, AI experts predicted that 39% of the time humans spend on domestic tasks—such as house cleaning, washing dishes and laundry, child and pet care, and grocery shopping— could be performed using automation within 10 years. As it stands now, youmay have AI-based robots doing work for you without realizing it. For example, you might have a smart speaker programmed to control lighting and temperature controls or a Roomba that cleans your floors. So, though a real-life Rosie probably won’t be available for a while yet, it’s not too early to start thinking about what you will do with the free time other AI-based robots will give you. Source: journals.plos.org/plosone/ article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0281282 FAST FACT: AI can produce original outputs, but it doesn’t “think” the way humans do.
WebsiteCompass 7 Perhaps one of the most impactful uses of AI is within the health care field. The technology is helping both providers and patients through disease detection, diagnosis, and even patient care. A Healthy Dose of Automation Wearables Watches and other wearable devices are using AI to track more than just steps. They can monitor things like blood sugar, heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration and send the data to your health care provider, helping them detect or manage health issues. Unstaffed Health Clinics Health care pods are enclosed kiosks within malls, gyms, and offices where you can get medical attention without the need for any staff. Using AI-based technology, these pods can measure vital signs, perform scans and blood tests, check for skin cancer, and even provide basic mental health care. Follow-up Care Health care visits routinely result in a list of to-dos, including prescriptions to take, habits to alter, and follow-up appointments to go to. AI-supported applications can reach out with timely reminders and pointers and give patients the opportunity to contact human practitioners when needed. Electronic Health Records AI is being used to make electronic health records more effective by helping practitioners find information within them, including patterns that could help identify diagnoses. It can also recommend treatment plans and predict patient outcomes. Robots Medical robots use AI to assist in surgeries, contribute to rehabilitation, perform cleaning and food delivery, and even care for patients. The use of robots to perform tasks around sick patients was especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic. FAST FACT: Following its release, AI-based ChatGPT reached over a million users in just five days. Source: statista.com/statistics/1360613/ adoption-rate-of-major-iot-tech AI Facts and Figures We’ve covered a lot about AI in the previous pages. Here are a few more interesting facts you might not know: • Only 39% of U.S. adults believe AI technology is safe and secure. • In 2023, the global AI market was around $208 billion. That sum is expected to reach nearly $2 trillion by 2030. • Over 20% of generative AI (applications such as ChatGPT) users are between 25 and 34 years old. • Seventy-three percent of U.S. companies use AI in some aspect of their business. • Seventy-eight percent of business leaders believe the benefits of AI outweigh the risks. • Forty-four percent of businesses have used AI to write marketing content. • On average, businesses can expect a 6-10% increase in revenue from adopting AI. • Two-thirds of jobs could be partially automated by AI. • Ninety-six percent of companies hiring in 2024 say candidates with AI skills will be at an advantage • Data management positions and legal positions have the potential to be highly impacted by AI. Source: semrush.com/blog/artificial- intelligence-stats
8 WebsiteCompass Internet Connections Fortunately, the list of equipment you’ll need is relatively short, and most of the items can be scaled to suit the size of your outdoor space, frequency and size of planned movie nights, and budget. We’re giving you a basic overview of the necessary equipment to get you started. However, you’ll want to do your homework before making any purchases. What You’ll Need (Besides Popcorn) Don’t even think about dragging your indoor TV system outside. For the full effect of an outdoor movie night, you’ll need these items: Projector A projector is the most indispensable item. You need a good, reliable projector that you can also use indoors. The required projector brightness is related to the screen size. The larger your screen, the more light it will require for a vivid image. For example, a 100” diagonal screen requires projector brightness of 1,500-2,500 lumens. Screen If you’re just getting started with outdoor movie nights, you may want to use a lowcost strategy for the screen. A large, blank surface in a light color will work best. If you don’t have a clear space on your home or garage, attach a flat bedsheet or tarp to it so it’s taut and won’t move with the breeze. Later, you may want to spring for a readymade inflatable screen or an outdoor screen with a firm stand. Media Streaming Devices Many projectors available today come with streaming capabilities, so you can use a smartphone app or even a streaming device such as a Roku to play your favorite movies from a service such as Netflix, Hulu, or Prime Video. You may Move Your Movie Nights Outside Setting up a backyard movie theater is easier than it sounds What could be more fun than movie nights with family and friends in your own backyard? It’s like summer camp meets drive-in theater, with the bonus of being able to watch movie stars while you’re under the stars.
WebsiteCompass 9 also be able to connect your projector to your Apple TV or hook it up to a Fire Stick, an Amazon Alexa-equipped remote, and media streamer. In addition, some media players support streaming or display mirroring from your phone via AirPlay (Apple) or ChromeCast (Android). No matter which devices you use, you’ll need a Wi-Fi connection that provides strong signals to your backyard. (See sidebar.) Sound System If your outdoor space isn’t already equipped with speakers that will connect to the projector, invest in a set of portable speakers that fill the entire area with sound. Make sure your guests will be able to hear the movie clearly despite competition from outdoor sounds including wind and traffic. Power Source Any household power grid should be enough to power up your outdoor movie system. Keep in mind that extension cords will be vital. Some cords have multiple outlets at the end, letting you run just one cable while still being able to plug in numerous devices. You could also use a power strip. Finishing Touches After you’ve set up the equipment and gone through a practice run, keep these tips in mind: • Check the weather forecast carefully to pick a rain-free day. • Plan on starting the movie about 20 minutes after sunset. • Have insect repellant on hand. • Provide plenty of chairs, blankets, and outdoor cushions. • Hang string lights for added ambiance. And the Oscar goes to … you, for hosting an unforgettable outdoor movie night! Your Wi-Fi Network Plays a Supporting Role on Movie Nights Even if you can seamlessly connect all the devices inside your home to your Wi-Fi network, it may be a different story when you move outside to host a movie night. A Wi-Fi network designed to meet the needs of your interior spaces might need additional equipment to also accommodate heavy internet use in the yard. But before you consider changes to your Wi-Fi network, make sure the speed of your internet connection is sufficient. If you frequently experience buffering while watching movies, that’s a sign that your current speed isn’t fast enough for an optimal viewing experience. Contact your internet service provider (ISP) and ask about getting an internet upgrade. Once you have sufficient speed, the next step is to extend the coverage of your Wi-Fi network so strong signals reach outdoor areas such as your yard, patio, and deck. Again, talk to your ISP and ask if Managed Wi-Fi service is available, which typically includes the installation of a router plus extenders or satellite units, if needed, to cover up to 5,000 square feet of interior and exterior space.
10 WebsiteCompass Why It’s Important Social media platforms are well known for their potential to become toxic environments where users engage in vicious arguments and personal attacks. Not all platforms are the same, and not all users participate in this behavior. But social media companies are interested in making money from advertisers who want people to stay engaged, and such interactions keep them active, so they aren’t necessarily eager to change the dynamic. Given this situation, it’s up to users to create the safe and friendly environments they want. Following social media etiquette is the best way to do it. Basic Rules Before we cover the specific actions you should take and those you should avoid, here are some high-level rules to guide you whenever you’re in doubt about how to conduct yourself on social media. Be respectful. Be polite and consider other people’s feelings when you post. For example, if you’re disagreeing with someone, do so without resorting to personal attacks. Consider privacy. Protect others’ privacy by not sharing information about them that they wouldn’t want known. Adjust your security settings for maximum protection of others. Value accuracy. Share content responsibly and avoid spreading misinformation. Ensure reliability of information by verifying its truth and finding the original source. Give proper credit. Always tag or mention creators when you share their content. Refrain from using copyrighted material without proper permission. Think before you post. Social media platforms are designed to exploit your emotions, but you don’t have to play along. Refrain from posting when you’re angry or upset. Do You Follow Social Media Etiquette? Consider these dos and don’ts for getting along online Social Media Basics Although social media may seem like an “anything goes” environment, there are etiquette rules to follow if you want to avoid damaging your reputation and hurting others.
WebsiteCompass 11 Dos and Don’ts This list of suggestions isn’t comprehensive, but it provides a good baseline for rules to keep in mind. DO use the“publicity test.” Ask yourself if what you’re posting is something you wouldn’t mind being publicly displayed, say in a major newspaper or on a billboard. If it doesn’t pass, it’s probably not appropriate content for social media. DO be courteous when arguing. Remember that simply having a different opinion from yours doesn’t make someone else a bad person. State your views respectfully and avoid resorting to childish actions like name calling or insisting on having the last word. DO be a good host. When you start a conversation on your profile, you become the host of it. Do what a good host would do offline by responding to those who participate, and thanking those who share your content if you want it shared. DO limit your use of hashtags. Hashtags are intended to emphasize the importance of certain ideas or themes. When you use too many of them, you dilute their meaning. Choose no more than three that are most important to each post. DON’T share everything. Posting too much on social media is like being the person at a gathering who never lets others get a word in. Think of social media not as a diary where you record every thought, but more like a scrapbook where you only include the highlights. DON’T post photos of others without their permission. You might think nothing of posting photos of your everyday activities, but others may feel differently for a variety of reasons. So, take a few moments to get posting permission from those appearing in pics you want to share. DON’T use offensive speech. Refrain from using profanity or derogatory terms. There are many ways to express yourself strongly, so be creative rather than resorting to language that could be considered aggressive. DON’T be overly promotional. If you have a business, a book, or other venture, that’s great! Certainly, let your followers know about it. But don’t allow it to take over your profile. Instead, create a separate business account to share information about your offering. Business Social Media Etiquette If you’re a business owner or manager, you likely know how useful social media can be for building your brand. Keep these etiquette tips in mind for the best chance of success. • DO post content that is valuable to followers. Don’t waste their time with “filler” content just to maintain a presence. • DO respond to comments. Engage with followers who engage with you, especially if their comments are negative. (However, DON’T feel you have to respond to attacks and feel free to delete these comments instead.) • DO be authentic. Followers will see through attempts to be something you’re not. • DON’T overwhelm followers. Limit the number of times you post to a few per week or no more than two per day. • DON’T be afraid to try new things. If you have a good rapport with followers, they’ll forgive less-thanperfect attempts at videos or other fun formats. • DON’T forget to track your progress. Set goals and use social media tools to know when you’re meeting them. FAST FACT: Many social media users have blocked someone based on something they did online.
12 WebsiteCompass How to Edit Social Media Posts When you have that “oops” moment of recognizing you weren’t following social media etiquette—or simply when you realize you made a mistake— follow these steps to edit your posts. TUTORIAL How to edit your posts on Facebook You can edit a Facebook post using a few simple steps. 1. Display the post you want to edit. 2. In the top-right corner, select the menu (three dots). 3. From the menu, select Edit post. 4. Make the changes you need. 5. Select Save. TUTORIAL How to edit your posts on Instagram You can change the caption of a photo or video you’ve shared with these steps. 1. Display the post you want to edit. 2. In the top-right corner, select the menu (three dots). 3. From the menu, select Edit. 4. Make the changes you need. 5. Select Done. TUTORIAL How to edit your posts on X Only Premium members can edit posts on X. Use the following steps to do it. NOTE: If you’re not a Premium member and are unable to edit a post, consider just deleting it. 1. Display the post you want to edit. 2. In the top-right corner, select the menu (three dots). 3. From the menu, select Edit post. 4. Make the changes you need. 5. Select Update. TUTORIAL How to edit your posts on LinkedIn The steps for editing posts in LinkedIn are similar to those for other platforms. 1. Display the post you want to edit. 2. In the top-right corner, select the menu (three dots). 3. From the menu, select Edit post. 4. Make the changes you need. 5. Select Save. Social Media Basics
WebsiteCompass 13 If you’re a member of Generation X, Y, or Z, it’s a good bet at some point you’ll be asked by older friends or family for help with technological challenges. Here are some tips for providing the best assistance. 21 Tips for Teaching Tech to Seniors Take the opportunity to share time and learn new skills together Get in the Right Mindset 1. Take a deep breath. A common reaction to requests from older folks for help with technology is an eye roll followed by excuses: I don’t have time, I don’t know the answer, etc. But if you’re armed with the other tips on this list, it’s very possible the task will be easier and more fun than you expect. 2. Sympathize. No matter your experience with technology, it’s unlikely you have never been challenged with some aspect of it. Use memories of that frustrated feeling to sympathize with the senior’s situation. 3. Have faith. Learning new skills is a capability that doesn’t go away with age. Approach the interaction with the senior under the assumption that they can and will learn what you’re teaching them, even if it takes a bit longer than it would with younger folks. 4. Be prepared to get back to basics. You may find that the senior asking for your assistance wants help with one thing but actually needs guidance for understanding more basic concepts. For example, someone who wants to download a document from a website might not know what a PDF is. UnderstandWhat They Need 5. Know the problem. Ask the senior to explain to you what they want to do and where they’re running into problems. For example, perhaps they want to use the Facebook app on their phone, but they don’t know how to install an app. 6. Get a feel for their knowledge base. Try to ascertain the senior’s skill level generally. For example, if they want to use a specific app, have they used apps before, or is app use an entirely new concept for them? Back to Basics
Back to Basics 14 WebsiteCompass 7. Recognize hidden needs. A call for help with technology might actually be a request for more attention or time together. If you get to the senior’s location and they don’t seem interested in what they called you about, recognize they might just want to hang out. Use Smart Coaching Strategies 8. Use what they already know. Use examples from the physical world to explain how things work in the virtual world. For example, finding a file in a subfolder is similar to locating a paper document within a file in a filing cabinet. 9. Explain why things are important. Offer context before you launch into the steps of how to do something. For instance, if a senior wants to be able to see more photos of their grandchildren, explain that Facebook isn’t the only place to do it. They could use Instagram, too. 10. Defer to their terms. Words like “selfie” and “emoji” might be plain to you, but the senior may be unfamiliar with them. If they start using other terms such as “portraits” and “cartoons,” borrow those terms in your explanations. 11. Go at their pace. After you’ve explained a concept, give the senior enough time to digest the information and, if appropriate, to try it on their own. Only move on when they’re ready. When in doubt, ask them if the pace is comfortable for them. 12. Be open to questions. It’s likely the senior will have questions as you go along and also after the tutorial. Be open to and patient with these questions and answer them to the best of your ability. Also, be prepared for additional questions as they try the new skill on their own. Make Devices More Accessible for Seniors When you help the senior in your life with their technology concerns, be aware the issue might have less to do with programs and applications, and more to do with the functionality of their device. For example, the elements on the screen might be too small for them to read. Here are some tips for ensuring they can use their device comfortably. • Make text larger. Whether the senior is using a computer or their phone, most applications include functionality to make text larger. Help them find these settings on the programs they use most. At the same time, if possible, make the text bold as well. • Enable voice commands. Often, voice commands are easier for seniors to use than touch screens. For example, finding the right app to add an item to their grocery list and then knowing how to use that app can be tricky. A better option might be to use smart assistant technology such as Alexa to simply speak, “Alexa, add grapes to my grocery list.” • Make buttons easy to find. Buttons and other controls can be hard for seniors to find. Help them arrange these icons on their screen in a way that makes sese to them and enlarge them so they are easier to see.
WebsiteCompass 15 13. Give them resources. Direct the senior to websites that help older folks learn about technology. Here are a few suggestions: • TechBoomers (techboomers.com) offers tutorials to guide seniors in learning new technological skills. • AARP Personal Technology Resource Center (aarp.org/ home-family/personal-technology) publishes articles about how to use technology. • Oasis (oasisnet.org) has resources for learning about technology. • Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) (oats.org) offers free computer classes to people over 60. • SeniorNet (seniornet.org) is dedicated to bridging the divide between older adults and technology. Provide Opportunities to Practice 14. Take off the training wheels. While you’re with them, encourage the senior to try the new skill on their own. Then encourage them to try again several times in the coming days until they feel they’ve mastered it. 15.Write it down. If you think it will be helpful, write down the steps involved in the new skill and leave it with the senior so they can practice it with some guidance. Remember to use the terms they are comfortable with to explain each step. 16. Encourage them to call again. Tell the senior they are welcome to call you with any questions as they try out the process on their own. These calls will likely be less frequent as they become more confident in their skills. 17. Make a recurring date. You may find that you enjoy helping the senior solve their technological problem more than you thought you would. If this is the case, ask if they’d like to have a standing weekly or monthly meeting time for you to address other concerns they might have. Encourage Internet Safety 18. Educate them about scams. Take the opportunity of helping the senior with a technology issue to remind them that their age makes them more susceptible to internet scams. Give them tips for what to watch out for and how to avoid becoming a victim. 19. Help them shop safely. Teach the senior to only shop at wellknown, trusted ecommerce sites, to only provide information that’s absolutely necessary to complete the transaction, and to refrain from storing credit card information with the vendor. 20. Alert them to email fraud. Describe how criminals send malware as email attachments and links. Instruct them to be very wary before clicking, even if the message appears to come from someone they know. 21. Share rules about safe social media use. Encourage the senior to create strong passwords and adjust their privacy settings for maximum control. Tell them to only friend people they know, to be suspicious of strange messages from friends, and to refrain from opening any attachments. Finally, while you may not think too much about the miracle of technology, the senior might express their amazement about what it can do. Share their wonder at what you’ve accomplished together and take a moment to marvel at how much this part of our lives has advanced since they were your age.
16 WebsiteCompass With just a few taps, you can easily split the cost of a restaurant meal with friends or give money to a family member. There’s no need to have cash or your checkbook with you. Although P2P payments are easy to set up and use, this convenience comes with some inherent risks. Be on the lookout for some of these common P2P payment scam scenarios: Overpayment scams. These incidents involve cybercriminals sending their targets an overpayment and then later requesting the difference between the initial and extra amount back. The catch is that the surplus payments are actually counterfeit and cannot be deposited, so victims ultimately lose money and risk their financial information being stolen. Fake payment notifications. Scammers impersonate P2P payment providers and falsely claim that money has been sent to you via the app—a widely used technique to steal login credentials after users access an infected URL. Two-step authentication scams. Similar to fake payment scams, scammers attempt to bypass multi-factor authentication measures by posing as financial institutions or the fraud department so that targeted individuals can accidentally share verification codes for logins when they’re requested. This serves as another common tactic used to compromise the accounts of P2P payment users. Bank impersonation. Scammers call and claim to be from your bank, alerting you about “suspicious activity” on your account. They direct you to send money to yourself or “the bank’s address” to reverse a transaction or verify the account is not frozen. Your bank will never tell you to send money to anyone, not even yourself. Phony fraud department. Fraudsters may claim to represent a fraud department or merchant and ask you to confirm Beware of Peer-to-Peer Payment Scams Cybercriminals have all kinds of tricks up their sleeves Peer-to-Peer (P2P) payment services—such as PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App—allow you to send and receive money in seconds using an app on your mobile device. They function by linking your bank account or credit/debit card to the P2P app, facilitating seamless fund transfers to other users through what’s essentially a digitized cash exchange. Beyond the Basics
WebsiteCompass 17 information such as your bank account username and password, credit card or debit card data, or Social Security numbers. They want to create a P2P account with your information, steal your identity, and gain access to your accounts. Posing as a legitimate business. Scammers may request a P2P payment for a product or service they pretend to be selling you. Once they receive your money, you never receive what you paid for, and they disappear. Accidental payments. A scammer says they accidentally sent you money on a P2P payment service and asks you to send the money back. Don’t do it! Contact the service about the supposed error. The accounts of scammers often use stolen funds that the P2P payment service will eventually flag as a fraud. If you send money back to the scammer, the service could take funds out of your account or hold you responsible. Can I borrow your phone? Con artists may ask to borrow your phone for a contrived emergency. Never hand your phone over to strangers, as they could make financial transfers using your payment apps and accounts. It’s important to stay aware and informed. According to an AARP survey of more than 2,000 adults that was reported in February 2024, about a fifth of adults who used a P2P payment service in the last year have been a victim or intended victim of financial exploitation while using the service. Plus, more than half of P2P fraud victims lose money. 10 Things to Do (or Not Do) for Scam Protection 1. Do confirm the name, email, phone number, or applicable identifier when you transfer money. If you make a mistake, your money will go to someone else, and you can’t get it back. 2. Do treat P2P payments like cash and never pay until you receive the product. 3. Do set up alerts to notify you of any transaction on your account. 4. Do enable multi-factor authentication for all accounts. 5. Do keep your P2P payment apps updated with the newest version. 6. Do be wary of accessing any financial or personal information on public Wi-Fi. 7. Don’t send money to someone you don’t know or haven’t met in person. 8. Don’t share bank authentication or verification numbers with anyone who contacts you, even if caller ID suggest it’s a familiar company. 9. Don’t let strangers persuade you to send money to yourself or to anyone else. 10. D on’t do a Google search for customer service phone numbers. Scammers create fake websites with toll-free numbers connected to them. Call your bank at the number on your card or bank statement.
18 WebsiteCompass FAQs Dr. Webbie Answers your frequently asked questions QUESTION: Have pokes returned to Facebook? ANSWER: Back in the early days of Facebook, poking people was a prominent feature. You poked a person, and they poked you back. It was like sending someone a nudge, and was viewed as the least interactive way to let them know you were thinking of them. However, many Facebook users got annoyed with all the “So and so poked you” notifications, and in 2011, Facebook relegated the poke option to the wastelands of your deep settings. But that’s not the end of the story for the once celebrated pointy-finger icon. Pokes are having a moment once again, thanks to a new generation discovering them—and perhaps some nostalgia from people who went through pokes the first time around. Facebook decided to make pokes more prominent and update the function in small ways. Facebook did the following: • Added improved suggestions on who to poke. • Made it easier to find the poking page through search. • Added the functionality to poke a friend when you search for them on Facebook. Will this renewed interest in pokes last? Maybe not. But there’s no harm in enjoying a trip down memory lane by poking a few people just for the fun of it. A few notes: You’re only able to poke people who are your friends on Facebook. The feature is not available on any other Metaowned services including Threads, Instagram, or WhatsApp. QUESTION: What exactly is big data? I hear the term used frequently, but I’m not sure what it includes. ANSWER: Big data represents the increasing amount of digital information that is being created, collected, and analyzed from an increasing number of sources including software, hardware, audio, and video. Organizations leverage big data to identify trends and discover insights to use in day-to-day decision-making. There are five V’s in big data: Volume – The amount of data matters.With big data, an organization will have to process high volumes of data. For some organizations, this might be tens of terabytes of data. For others, it may be hundreds of petabytes. Velocity – This is the fast rate at which data is received and (perhaps) acted on. Normally, the highest velocity of data streams directly into memory versus being written to disk. Some internetenabled smart products operate in real time or near real time and will require real-time evaluation and action. Variety – Many types of data are available including text, audio, and video. Value – Data has intrinsic value. But it’s of no use until that value is discovered. Think of some of the world’s biggest tech companies. A large part of the value they offer comes from their data, which they’re constantly analyzing to produce more efficiency and develop new products. Veracity – Big data must be truthful and accurate to be relied on for decision-making.
WebsiteCompass 19 Glossary ADDRESS BOOK - A feature of an email program, or a stand-alone application, that stores and organizes a list of email addresses and other contact information a computer user frequently uses. ALERTS - Automatic notifications, often by email, that news on topics you’ve specified is now online. APP - Shorthand for application, app is popularly used to describe software that enhances the usefulness of mobile phones, media players, and social networking sites. AUTO-COMPLETE - Feature that predicts a word or phrase before the user types it in completely. BLOG - (short for Weblog) Writings similar to a journal or diary by individuals that are posted to the internet. Someone who writes a blog is a “blogger.” BOOKMARK - A reference to a file or webpage you plan to frequently visit. Most internet browsers let you maintain and organize a list of bookmarks (also called “favorites” when using Microsoft Internet Explorer) to make it easy to return to them again. BOOLEAN PHRASES - Linking words or symbols in all caps that indicate the relationships of words to each other and refine online searches. BOTNET - A collection of compromised zombie computers running programs automatically under remote direction. BROADBAND - (Broad Bandwidth) A high-speed network connection capable of supporting a wide range of frequencies. BROWSER - A software program that is used to look at various kinds of internet resources. The most popular browsers are Microsoft Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari. BYTE - A group of eight bits that represent a character. Computer memory and disk capacity are measured in bytes. (A bit is the smallest unit of measurement for computer data.) CACHE - The hard drive space your browser uses to temporarily store webpages. When returning to a recently visited page, the browser can get a copy of it from the cache rather than the original server, saving time and network traffic. The larger amount of space you allocate for the cache, the more webpages can be stored. CELLULAR DATA - A way for your phone to access the internet that ’s offered by your mobile carrier. CHATBOT - A computer program that mimics conversations with humans. CHAT ROOM - A system where people can “chat” on a website through their browser. CLIENT - A computer or piece of software that requests information or services from a server. Your computer becomes a “client” when you connect to your ISP for a service such as surfing the internet or using email. COMPRESSION - A method by which data, images, and text can be stored using less disk space. After a file is compressed into a smaller file size, it will require less time to transmit over a network. CONTACT GROUP - A group of email addresses specified by a user. A contact group allows one to easily send a message to multiple recipients by entering the group name in the “To:” field. COOKIE - A piece of information sent by a Web server to be stored by your Web browser. Whenever the browser makes additional requests to that server, the server is able to use the information stored in the “cookie” to customize a response based on data from a previous connection. CROWDSOURCING – Meeting a challenge by asking many people—via the internet—if they can help. CROWDTURFING – Organized, for-pay efforts that hire people to create accounts under false names and post certain reviews or push a brand or website. CSS - (short for Cascading Style Sheet) A specification for the presentation of html documents that allow Web developers to easily control the style and layout of single or multiple webpages. DNS - (Domain Name Server) A computer which translates a domain name into a set of numbers called an IP address. DOMAIN NAME - A “domain name” is a unique name that is used to represent and help locate a specific Web server on the internet. For example, “www.websitecompass.com” is a domain name. Each domain name corresponds to a set of numbers called an IP address. DSL - (Digital Subscriber Line) Allows users to download and upload data over standard telephone lines. It provides a constant internet connection over which users can receive voice and data simultaneously. It isn’t available in many areas because it requires a short distance to the DSL provider’s origin. E-LEARNING - Any kind of learning that is provided through the digital technology used by computers. E-PATIENT - An internet user who looks online for health information. EBOOK - (short for Electronic Book) A book in digital format that can be read on a computer or other digital device. EDU - When these letters appear as the last part of a Web address, it indicates that the host computer is run by an educational institution, usually in the United States. EMOTICON - (or Smileys) Short for emotion icon. Symbols composed of punctuation that help convey how an email message should be interpreted by the reader. Ex. :-) = Happy, :-( = Sad EMOJIS - Icons or small digital images that are used online to express emotions or an idea. E-ZINE - A periodic publication distributed by email or posted on a website. FAQ - Short for Frequently Asked Question. FAVORITE - See Bookmark. FILTER BUBBLES - Process by which websites show you search results and feed items based on your past choices and other factors. FIREWALL - A specially programmed computer that connects networks (usually a local network to the internet) and for security reasons lets only certain kinds of data in and out. FIREWIRE - (Also known as IEEE 1394) A fast type of computer connection–similar to USB 2–that allows for high rates of data transfer. FLASH - A multimedia program for viewing and creating interactive and animated content on the Web. FORUM - A section of a website where users post and read topics of common interest. FREEWARE - Software provided at no charge by its originator. FTP - (File Transfer Protocol) A common method of transferring files between two computers connected over a network. FTP is a way to login to an internet server for the purposes of retrieving and/or sending files. Many publicly accessible internet sites allow their materials to be obtained using FTP. Most FTP sites require a user name and password. GIF - (Graphics Interchange Format) A file format that uses compression for saving and viewing images. GIGABYTE - A measure of computer storage capacity equal to 1,000 megabytes, or 1 billion bytes. GOV - When these letters appear as the last part of a Web address, it indicates that the host computer is run by a government body, probably in the U.S. HACKER - A person who tries to defeat computer security measures and break into websites and computers. HASHTAG - A word or phrase preceded by (#) and used to categorize social media messages. HISTORY - A browser feature which keeps track of Web resources that have been recently visited. HOME PAGE - (or Homepage) Originally, a Home Page was defined as the webpage your browser was set to use when it was started up. The more common meaning now refers to the main webpage for an organization, business, person or simply the main page out of a collection of webpages. HTML - (HyperText Markup Language) A coding language used to create hypertext documents for use on the Web. HTML files contain instructions on how your browser displays text, images, links and etc. HTML files usually end in “.htm” or “.html.” HTTP - (HyperText Transfer Protocol) The standard protocol for moving hypertext files across the internet. HYPERTEXT - Text that contains links to other documents. Words or phrases in the document that can be chosen by an internet user which causes another document to be retrieved and then displayed. INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) - A collection of unique objects represented and connected virtually. IP ADDRESS - A numeric address which identifies a particular computer or server over a network. ISP - (Internet Service Provider) An institution that provides access to the internet. JAVA - A network-oriented programming language specifically designed for writing programs that can be downloaded to your computer and run. By using small Java programs called “applets,” webpages can include functions such as animations, calculators, chatrooms, games, etc. JAVASCRIPT - A programming language used to add interactive and dynamic features to webpages. It shares some characteristics with Java but is independent. JPEG - (or JPG) Named after the committee that created it, the Joint Photographic Experts Group, this is a file format that uses compression for saving and viewing images. LAN - (Local Area Network) A computer network limited to an immediate area, usually the same building or just one floor of a building. LINK - (short for Hyperlink) A hypertext connection that can take you to another document or another part of the same document. On the World Wide Web, links appear either as underlined text or as pictures/icons. To follow a link, double click on the underlined text or on the corresponding icon.
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