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|
Age |
Total Number of responses |
Respondent has a computer at home |
(Number) |
Women |
55-64 |
103 |
97.1 % |
(100) |
|
65-74 |
90 |
100 % |
(90) |
|
75 and over |
41 |
100 % |
(41) |
Men |
55-64 |
60 |
98.3 % |
(59) |
|
65-74 |
144 |
97.6 % |
(141) |
|
75 and over |
72 |
98.6 % |
(71) |
The survey found that over half of all respondents, 55.8 per cent, use only a computer to access the internet. However, a substantial number sometimes use other technologies to access the internet with 22.9 per cent using mobiles, 20.3 per cent using tablets and 20.1 per cent using smart phones.
In metropolitan areas, only 52.8 per cent of respondents do not sometimes use other technologies to access the internet, whereas, both regional and rural areas were a bit higher with about 59 per cent not using other technologies, and unsurprisingly, none of the three respondents in remote areas are using other technologies to access the internet.
Most respondents, 87.3 per cent, use the internet on a daily basis with 10.1 per cent using it several times a week. About two thirds of respondents (68.3 per cent) access the internet for 15 hours or more per week.
ADSL Broadband is used by the majority of respondents with 68.5 per cent using it and 19.8 per cent using wireless technology.
Over a third of respondents (40.1 per cent) have service problems in their area and more than a quarter (27.9 per cent) experience problems with their access plan.
Unsurprisingly, people who live in metropolitan areas have fewer service problems (33.7 per cent) compared to those in regional and rural areas with 47.1 per cent and 65.6 per cent respectively.
Question 8 asked what seniors are using the internet for and allowed respondents to choose as many answers as they wished. It found that banking and paying bills is the predominant reason for using the internet (76.5 per cent), however, other uses are close behind with ‘accessing government services’ attracting 63.4 per cent; entertainment 58.8 per cent; training and research 56.9 per cent; shopping 54.5 per cent; and social networking coming in last (apart from the ‘other’ category) with 41.8 per cent.
A breakdown across the country shows similar responses across metropolitan / regional / rural areas with the most use being for ‘banking and bills’ in all three areas but an especially high use for this purpose in regional Australia. However, a completely different picture is shown in remote areas but this is no doubt due at least in part to the very low number of respondents and, again, no conclusions can really be drawn from the responses of just three people.
Table 2 Question: What do you use the internet for?
Activity |
Metropolitan |
Regional |
Rural |
Remote |
Accessing government services |
64.8% (195) |
62.9% (88) |
60.6% (40) |
33.3 % (1) |
Banking and bills |
76.7% (231) |
84.3% (118) |
65.2% (43) |
0.0% (0) |
Entertainment |
62.5% (188) |
57.9% (81) |
42.4% (28) |
0.0% (0) |
Shopping |
54.2% (163) |
55.7% (78) |
57.6% (38) |
33.3 % (1) |
Social networking (Facebook, etc.) |
42.9% (129) |
41.4% (58) |
43.9% (29) |
33.3 % (1) |
Training and research |
58.8% (177) |
59.3% (83) |
47.0% (31) |
100.0% (3) |
Other |
40.9% (123) |
32.1% (45) |
37.9% (25) |
33.3 % (1) |
Source Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety – Australian Seniors’ cybersafety survey
The ACMA research, referred to above, also found that:
Activities relating to communications, research and information, and banking and finance have typically dominated the online activity profile of Australian internet users …[4]
Most seniors who are online believe that internet access is now important to the quality of their life. Just 6.5 per cent said that internet access is not important to the quality of their life. Comments on this question included:
Keeping in touch with friends and relatives and the news of the world is important to me. Online shopping is less so.
I live in an isolated area with almost no neighbours and because of the distance, rarely go to towns. Thus internet is often my only contact with the world.
The internet is extremely important to my quality of life as I have very limited mobility.
Mobile wireless internet enables me to operate my business from anywhere in Australia.
It’s hard to imagine life without it now.
We keep in touch with our children and grandchildren interstate. Keep in touch with friends. Keep our brains working by playing games etc.
I have an enquiring mind and always want to know more. So information about places visited & to be visited is important to me, to keep my mind active.
It is especially important in keeping track of our investments.
Keeps you in
touch with the world, their news and affairs.
The Committee asked if respondents were aware of friends, relatives or other contacts aged 55 and over who do not use the internet (question 19). Only 17.0 per cent of respondents said they do not know anyone 55 or over who does not use the internet.
Asked the reason why people they know over 55 do not use the internet two answers dominated the responses: 40.4 per cent are ‘not interested’ and 35.8 per cent have a ‘lack of skills’.
There is no point in breaking these responses down by the respondent’s age and gender because we do not know the age or gender of the people who do not use the internet.
Respondents were asked where they acquired their computer skills. The question allowed as many answers as applied to be ticked. Almost all respondents indicated that they learned through a mix of the available options with 78.2 per cent being primarily ‘self-taught’ and 53.9 per cent learning at least some of their skills ‘at work’. ‘Computer courses’ and ‘friends and family’ also had significant responses with 35.3 and 33.6 per cent respectively.
A breakdown of these figures shows that men tend to be ‘self-taught’ more than women and women learn from ‘friends and family’ more than the men. In both cases, many people in the age group 55-64 have learned at least some of their computer skills at work.
In all age groups learning by computer courses comes a long way behind being self-taught or learning from friends or family or at work.
As respondents could chose as many answers as applied, in the tables below total numbers far exceed the actual number of respondents in each group.
Table 3 Question: Where did you acquire your computer skills?
|
Age |
Number |
Self taught |
Friends or family |
Work |
Courses |
Women |
55-64 |
103 |
77.7% (80) |
30.1% (31) |
69.9% (72) |
40.8% (42) |
|
65-74 |
90 |
75.6% (68) |
45.6% (41) |
58.9% (53) |
44.4% (40) |
|
75 and over |
41 |
61.0% (25) |
63.4% (26) |
22.0% (9) |
29.3% (12) |
Men |
55-64 |
60 |
81.7% (49) |
21.7% (13) |
70.0% (42) |
36.7% (22) |
|
65-74 |
144 |
80.6% (116) |
26.4% (38) |
53.5% (77) |
34.7% (50) |
|
75 and over |
72 |
86.1% (62) |
31.9% (23) |
31.9% (23) |
26.4% (19) |
Source Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety – Australian Seniors’ cybersafety survey
In the following table slight differences about location and learning emerge.
In metropolitan areas being self-taught or acquiring computer skills at work are the two dominant ways of learning. Learning via ‘friends and family’ and ‘courses’ are about half as popular as self-taught and work.
In regional areas, the percentage of people who are ‘self-taught’ is quite a bit higher than in the other areas and it is far ahead of ‘work’, ‘friends and family’ and courses.
In rural areas ‘self-taught’ is less used than the other areas but rural seniors are the heaviest users of courses as a method to learn about the internet and rural seniors are least likely to rely on ‘friends and family’ than other groups.
Table 4 Question: Where did you acquire your computer skills?
Place of learning |
Metropolitan |
Regional |
Rural |
Work |
59.8% (180) |
45.7% (64) |
48.5% (32) |
Self-taught |
78.1% (235) |
83.6% (117) |
71.2% (47) |
Friends and family |
33.2% (100) |
38.6% (54) |
25.8% (17) |
Courses |
31.2% (94) |
42.1% (59) |
48.5% (32) |
Computer club |
9.3% (28) |
8.6% (12) |
1.5% (1) |
Seniors’ kiosks |
3.0% (9) |
2.9% (4) |
0 |
Other |
6.3% (19) |
3.6% (5) |
4.5% (3) |
Source Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety – Australian Seniors’ cybersafety survey
Asked if they find accessing information and/or conducting transactions on the internet difficult or frustrating, 71.8 per cent of responding seniors answered ‘no’. This response was more-or-less consistent across all regions of the country but when viewed by age and gender it is apparent that women of all age groups find accessing information and/or conducting transactions on the internet more difficult and/or frustrating than men in the same age group. For women 75 and over, the ‘yes’ response is nearly as high as the ‘no’ response. There is a definite increase in frustration and/or difficulty with age for both men and women.
Table 5 Question: Do you find using the internet difficult or frustrating?
|
Age |
Yes |
No |
Women |
55-64 |
23.3% |
76.7% |
|
65-74 |
37.8% |
62.2% |
|
75 and over |
48.8% |
52.2% |
Men |
55-64 |
11.7% |
88.3% |
|
65-74 |
27.8% |
72.2% |
|
75 and over |
31.9% |
68.1% |
Source Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety – Australian Seniors’ cybersafety survey
Comments were sought about what would help to make accessing information less difficult or frustrating and 140 people entered a range of comments, a few of which follow:
I often wish they do not assume the user is completely computer literate.
The sites I experience most difficulty with are government sites. Since they appear to have a high volume of traffic which invariably exclude access, I feel the government could/should make extra provisions for this.
Many websites have very complex paths just to get into.
I think that seniors generally need some centre where they can access information on how to use it, not to the extent of training courses, but the sort of thing where you can go and type in a question and receive a simple explanation. For instance, a question I recently got answered through TechTalkRadio was what is an Android? What is an App? etc.
Some websites seem to be more difficult to use than they need to be. Maybe those that set them up don't use them.
Community training access in small groups to learn from each other.
More basic knowledge.
Some form of standardisation of terminology across sites would help, e.g. do the terms pin, password, access number, mean the same thing? And many sites seem just to go around in circles. I think those who design some of the sites are too close to their own work and do not realise that many people do not understand the technical terms that they use.
Better web page design. Response from so-called "help desks".
Plain English and developers understanding the needs and limitations of Seniors.
A help line for basic questions/problems.
Some sites are difficult to navigate. Worst problem is use of unfamiliar language.
Asked if they are worried about online safety risks, 67.0 per cent, answered that they are ‘aware but not worried’. However, 25.7 per cent answered that they are ‘aware and very worried’.
A similar question in the YOURLifeChoices survey asked if people have enough information to protect themselves from being scammed and the response found that 77 per cent believe that they do have sufficient information to protect themselves from being scammed.
The survey found that 95.5 per cent of respondents have installed security systems and anti-virus software on their computers. Furthermore, 87.2 per cent regularly update their internet security. The following table breaks these percentages down by gender and age group.
Table 6 Question: Are you worried about online safety?
|
Age |
Number |
Aware but not worried |
Aware and very worried |
Have installed anti-virus software |
Update internet security regularly |
Women |
55-64 |
103 |
62.1% |
32.0% |
96.1% |
83.5% |
|
65-74 |
90 |
60.0% |
33.3% |
96.7% |
87.8% |
|
75 and over |
41 |
61.0% |
26.8% |
92.7% |
75.6% |
Men |
55-64 |
60 |
75.0% |
16.7% |
95.0% |
93.3% |
|
65-74 |
144 |
68.1% |
26.4% |
97.9% |
93.1% |
|
75 and over |
72 |
70.8% |
16.7% |
91.7% |
83.3% |
Source Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety – Australian Seniors’ cybersafety survey
Table 6 above indicates that women are more worried about online safety than men in all age groups but they are protecting themselves with anti-virus software in about the same percentages as men across all age groups. However, women are slightly less vigilant about updating their internet security regularly than men.
A look at these responses in the context of the regions of Australia shows that rural and regional Australians feel less confident with about 60 per cent in both groups responding that they are ‘aware but not worried’ against 70 per cent answering ‘aware but not worried’ from those living in metropolitan areas.
Asked if password requirements are a problem, 73.8 per cent of respondents do not find password requirements to be a problem, leaving over a quarter at 26.2 per cent who do find password requirements to be a problem. The group who find password requirements a problem the most is the ‘women 75 and over’ group with 34.1 per cent answering ‘yes’. The next highest is the ‘men 55-64’ group answering ‘yes’ 28.3 per cent. All other groups ranged between 24.4 and 26.4 per cent.
Again, looking at these responses in the context of the country’s regions there is almost no difference between those living in metropolitan, rural or regional areas, with about 7.3-7.4 per cent in each group answering ‘no’ to finding password requirements to be a problem.
Question 16 asked if the respondent has been personally affected by e-mail scams, identity theft or other internet related fraud and 75.3 per cent responded that they had not, leaving 24.7 per cent (131) who have been personally affected by scams or internet related fraud.
Looked at across the regions of Australia, metropolitan and regional areas were the same with 76.4 per cent of respondents saying they have not been personally affected by scams, and in rural areas the ‘no’ response dropped to 66.7 per cent.
Asked about the ‘type’ of scams or fraud experienced it emerges that ‘Phishing: for example donations, inheritance, banking scams and lottery scams’ is the scam which most people have experienced, with 73.8 per cent responding in the affirmative. This was the same for all regions of Australia. However, the second highest type of scam, ‘malicious software installed on computer’ was particularly high in rural Australia with 42.9 per cent as compared to 29.4 per cent in metropolitan areas and 31.3 per cent in regional areas.
The following table breaks the responses to these questions down by age and gender. The figures confirm evidence that the Committee heard during its inquiry that it is men in the 50-70 age group who are more vulnerable to internet fraud than women or older men. It is also interesting to note that men have been caught up in ‘romance or dating’ scams twice as often as the women in all age groups.
Table 7 Question: Have you been affected by e-mail scams, identity theft or fraud?
|
Age |
Number |
Yes |
Phishing scams |
Malicious software |
Romance or dating |
Women |
55-64 |
103 |
18.4% |
77.8% |
27.8% |
11.1% |
|
65-74 |
90 |
22.2% |
89.5% |
26.3% |
10.5% |
|
75 and over |
41 |
22.0% |
44.4% |
22.2% |
11.1% |
Men |
55-64 |
60 |
33.3% |
88.9% |
44.4% |
22.2% |
|
65-74 |
144 |
33.3% |
70.2% |
31.9% |
23.4% |
|
75 and over |
72 |
16.7% |
58.3% |
33.3% |
25.0% |
Source Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety – Australian Seniors’ cybersafety survey
The YOURLifeChoices survey asked if respondents had been the target of a scam and reported that 53.4 per cent believed that they had been the target of a scam but the follow up question “did you lose money or time due to the scam” found that only 14.3 per cent responded affirmatively. This figure is considerably less than that of the response to the Committee’s survey which can be attributed to the wording. Some people might consider they have been ‘affected’ even without the loss of time or money, possibly because they found it stressful to be targeted in this way.
YOURLifeChoices pointed out that even though ‘only’ 14 per cent of those targeted by scams lost money, confirming that most older internet users know enough to prevent themselves from being scammed, 14 per cent of those targeted is far too high ‘considering that cybercrime robs individuals of their time, damages their emotional wellbeing and costs them, in many cases, significant amounts of money’.[5]
Question 18 asked if those affected by scams or fraud had reported the incident to a regulator or the police and found that just over half had not, with 43.3 per cent saying that they reported the incident. The same question was asked in the YOURLifeChoices survey and received a similar response with 42.3 per cent saying that they reported the scam or fraud.
The YOURLifeChoices survey also asked why respondents had not reported scams or fraud and their breakdown of anecdotal responses found that of 701 responses, 153 people handled the matter themselves; 100 did not know how to report it; 75 felt it was not worth reporting; 65 said ‘other’ and 234 did not give a relevant answer. Therefore, in this instance about 15 per cent of people who were the target of a scam but did not report it, did not do so because they did not know how to report it.
The Committee also asked for comments at question 18 and received 60, several of which follow:
The police told me there was nothing they could do and to just ignore the problems. So I did not report the next incidences. But I change password and other details on my computer.
I reported it to one of the Microsoft tech agents. The trouble is that us oldies usually can’t afford security agents you pay for, and can inadvertently not have enough security by accessing their own freeware (which is what had happened to me). It cost me $150 to have my computer cleaned up. Admittedly, this is the only time in the last 14 years, and I lost no other money. … Most of us just don’t understand all the different terms fully enough to avoid all the pitfalls.
I reported the scam to Hotmail and they automatically closed my account with the consequence I lost all my contact details. Very frustrating. No help was offered.
Wouldn't know to whom to report. Usually, police are not interested and they always claimed that they are too busy!
Question 21 asked if respondents are comfortable about accessing government information and services online—89.5 per cent answered ‘yes’ with only 10.5 per cent answering ‘no’. This figure was the same within one percentage point in all areas (excluding ‘remote’ for reasons previously explained).
As the table below shows, those in the older age groups are slightly less comfortable about accessing government information and services online.
Table 8 Question: Level of comfort accessing Government information/services online
|
Age |
Yes |
Number |
No |
Number |
Women |
55-64 |
94.1% |
96 |
5.9% |
6 |
|
65-74 |
88.8% |
79 |
11.2% |
10 |
|
75 and over |
75.6% |
31 |
24.4% |
10 |
Men |
55-64 |
90.0% |
54 |
10.0% |
6 |
|
65-74 |
92.4% |
133 |
7.6% |
11 |
|
75 and over |
84.5% |
60 |
15.5% |
11 |
Source Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety – Australian Seniors’ cybersafety survey
The same question also asked if the availability of ‘telephone or over the counter advice’ is important to the respondent and 82.4 per cent said that it is, with 17.6 per cent answering ‘no’. Those percentages were fairly consistent with all age groups and both genders with the exception of ‘males 55-64 years of age’. Only 68.4 per cent (39) of this group answered ‘yes’ while 31.6 per cent (18) responded that the availability of telephone or over the counter advice is not important to them. Again, all areas were within one per cent of the average.
Approximately one third of the total number of respondents made a comment here (177). Unsurprisingly, most comments are in defence of the availability of telephone or over-the-counter advice. A few follow:
Increasing use of automated services when phoning government departments is extremely frustrating and annoying.
Personal contact is very important and should never be undervalued.
Telephone and over the counter advice is essential as (a) fall back where online services are incomplete and (b) where personal circumstances require more specific information.
I find a personal response to questions much more satisfying and generally only needs one call rather than going back and forth on computer.
I would be very comfortable accessing Government services online - if only I could. But apparently it is the volume of use that has consistently blocked my access.
I prefer to speak with a real person, computer is totally inflexible and lacks one on one understanding.
I would use the phone in favour of the internet if there was not such a long waiting time for most of these services. Generally I find the internet quicker and have not had problems with it, but I prefer to talk to a warm body!
Of those who answered question 23 (516), 74.8 per cent believe that a multi-media campaign about cybersafety targeting seniors is required; 86 per cent believe that communication technology producers/vendors should be required to provide cybersafety advice at point of sale; and 98.3 per cent of respondents believe that businesses and online service providers should be required to meet standards for the privacy and security of user data. These responses were consistent across the age and gender groups with just slight variations. There was some difference between the locations, with metropolitan and rural having similar responses but regional Australia having a higher ‘yes’ response in each case, as the following table demonstrates:
Table 9 Questions on Education and regulation
|
Metropolitan |
Regional |
Rural |
|||
Question |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Is a multi-media campaign about cybersafety targeting seniors required? |
72.8% |
27.2% |
79.3% |
20.7% |
75.8% |
24.2% |
Should communication technology producers/ vendors be required to provide cybersafety advice at point of sale? |
85.0% |
15.0% |
89.3% |
10.7% |
86.4% |
13.6% |
Should businesses and online service providers be required to meet standards for the privacy and security of user data? |
98.3% |
1.7% |
99.3% |
0.7% |
97.0% |
3.0% |
Source Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety – Australian Seniors’ cybersafety survey
Finally, question 24 asked ‘how can government better protect consumers, and help them protect themselves online’. There were 328 responses to this and many of these responses have been used to inform the appropriate report chapter. Below is a small selection of comments:
Raise awareness. Maybe require all internet ready hardware sold in Australia to include a one page summary of security "dos and don'ts".
Require a mandatory Computer Driver's Licence when you buy a new computer such as exists in the EU.
Give them knowledge, via classes or online. Reliable knowledge (not just scare-mongering), on how to install free protective software, to update it, run it etc. plus other practical ways to protect themselves - keep it simple! How to do simple computer housekeeping, to maintain computer health, backup files etc.
Provide user friendly information that is easily accessible.
Education and easy access to training, eg TAFE, or someone coming to clubs.
Do not assume that protecting consumers is a one-off project. Education and information directed at the whole community (not just seniors) should be an on-going activity. Threats change, technology changes, people change. The government needs to treat online safety in the same way as any other social issue such as road safety, health, consumer affairs, finance/banking and building codes.
Restrictions do not seem to work with cyber technology, so it seems that education, clear, simple and targeting everyone, is needed.
Certainly not a major television and press campaign. Use existing services like pension updates and material already sent to seniors.
Governments should stay completely out of this area and leave it to the market.
More media info could be useful & for close family members to talk to their more elderly rellies.
Require hardware be sold with antivirus software included, not an optional add-on (potentially not added-on by the unwary), or at least an opening window/pop-up warning if there is no security system (or has not been updated for some time)
Prosecute the scammers and give hefty penalties - not fines which they will never pay.
Practical education resourcing instead of mountains of pamphlets, advertisements and talk. Give the seniors a "voucher" to spend on computer education.
It really is up to the individual to be aware of pitfalls and scams. … Might be older but still capable of thinking for myself and keeping watch.
No hard-and-fast conclusions can be drawn from only 536 responses to a nationwide survey of people aged 55 and over. However, the Committee believes that the online survey was a worthwhile exercise because the results have provided some evidence of trends regarding how seniors use the internet including: where they most often use the internet; for what purposes; how often they use it; and what their experiences have been with the technology, service providers, education opportunities and scams. Results have also provided some insight into the differences between metropolitan, regional and rural users as well as some interesting differences between age groups.
Unfortunately, the survey attracted very few responses from seniors who either do not use the internet, or who may use it a little but are not confident enough to complete an online survey. However, that cohort of seniors was well represented in this inquiry by the many organisations and individuals who made submissions and gave evidence to the Committee in person—as discussed in the body of this report.
In various places throughout this report, the results from the survey have been used to inform and/or complement reporting on the evidence the Committee gathered over the course of its inquiry.
Finally, the Committee would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete the survey.