Get Online Day 2009

Yesterday, the 23rd was Get Online Day (although the campaign runs from the 19th to 31 October).
Its aim is to help people who are not online to try computers and the internet at their own pace.  However, it’s not all about beginners; if you have the experience then you’re encouraged to “Pass IT on” to [...]

Technology and internet are good for older people!

I’ve noticed a few articles appearing recently discussing the benefits of technology and the internet for older people.
Health
“Googling is good for grandparents. Internet use can boost the brain activity of the elderly, potentially slowing or even reversing the age-related declines that can end in dementia, researchers have found.”
Web can help elderly surfers slow dementia
“Our most striking [...]

IWF Awareness Day 2009

Today is the Internet Watch Foundation’s (IWF) third Awareness day.
The IWF works with the internet industry, law enforcement agencies and other partners to tackle illegal content on the internet.  It operates a UK Hotline where the public can report potentially illegal web content.
“In 2008, Awareness Day led to increased reporting to the Hotline and an [...]

Catch-up with the North West Social Media event

If you missed the North West Social Media and digital technology event over the weekend you can catch-up and get a feel for it over at the BarCamp Derry website.
By all accounts it seems to have been very good.

Economic benefits of being online

The first report from Martha Lane Fox’s Digital Inclusion Task Force has highlighted the economic benefits of being online.
They have discovered that:

10 million adults in the UK have never been online and 4 million of these are socially excluded
the 1.8 million children currently digitally excluded could earn up to £10.8 billion in their lifetime if [...]

Social Networks – Useful or Not

Social media is the topic of an interesting discussion on the NCVO website –  to discover whether it is of benefit to organisations, especially those in the voluntary and community sector.  Social networks/media are online spaces such as facebook and twitter.
The general consensus is that it is of benefit and one of the participants has submitted [...]

Event: Social Media and digital technology

The North West is playing host to a social media / digital technology conference this weekend.  The informal conference, held at the University of Ulster’s Magee campus, is free to all on Saturday from 9am to 5pm.
“Attendees will be able to hear from a range of speakers on everything from iPhone applications to social media. [...]