As part of Get Safe Online week, Ofcom has today published a video setting out steps consumers can take and things they should look out for when shopping online this Christmas.

If you know of other similar resources please feel free to share.

This is a week long event organised by the Anti-Bullying Alliance.

16-20 November 2009
This year’s Anti-Bullying Week campaign is ‘Stay safe in cyberspace’. The focus on cyberbullying is reflected in the resource pack sent to schools in England and the pack of resources for FE colleges.

Related Reading:

• BBC: Action needed on internet bullying
• Guardian: Facebook launches safety tips as part of anti-bullying week

Get Safe Online begins this week.  Read more and learn how you could help.

This year Get Safe Online Week is from the 16th to 20th November.  It kicks off with a summit on the 16th:

The Summit is aimed at representatives from organisations and businesses that want to champion the safe and confident use of the internet for their customers and audiences.

Attending the Summit will:

• Update you on the Get Safe Online initiative
• Provide an insight into the key internet security issues and threats facing the UK
• Launch the results of new research commissioned by GetSafeOnline.org
• Feature speakers from government, law enforcement and industry
• Give you the opportunity to put questions to our expert panel
• Include a networking session and buffet lunch

Visit http://www.getsafeonline.org to learn more.

Today the BBC News Technology website has an interesting story about a new computer that is designed to encourage older people to get online.

The simplified desktop – called SimplicITy – has just six buttons directing users to basic tasks such as e-mail and chat.

The computer comes pre-loaded with 17 video tutorials from television presenter Valerie Singleton
BBC Tech: New PC to encourage older users

From reading the article this certainly seems a step in the right direction and is addressing a number of barriers.

Andrew Harrop, head of public policy for charity Age Concern and Help the Aged said efforts to get older people online should be “applauded”.

“Pensioners who aren’t online are missing out on hundreds of pounds in potential savings by shopping around and can also often miss out on the best interest rates for savings accounts, not to mention the social benefits of being online,” he said.

It looks like the private sector has stepped up to the challenge.

Tech Note:
The computer is built using Linux operating system, a free operating system that can be customised by users.

Last month Kable had a very interesting article on how the public sector is using Twitter: ‘The public tweet‘.

The article discusses how local and national government are slowly beginning to embrace this platform as a means of communication with their constituents.

The government’s director of digital engagement, Andrew Stott, has been posting tweets since the spring, and Whitehall now has a semi-official strategy for using the service, developed by Neil Williams, the head of corporate digital channels at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

We discussed this strategy in an earlier blog post titled Civil Servants Encouraged to use Twitter

Leeds City Council has also been using Twitter to communicate with residents, through a handful of feeds managed by its corporate communications department, and 10 or so put out more informally by teams working in specific areas. The latter group includes the council’s pest control team, and the South Leeds Hub, a community centre for young people in the city.

There is also a service named Tweetminster which allows you to follow MPs’ tweets: http://tweetminster.co.uk/.

Social media, such as twitter, is beginning to play an important role within government as a means to encourage more communication and openness.  It will be interesting to see how its role will be developed in the future election.  We know it played a role in the US elections.  Let us know your thoughts.

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 friends and family.  The “Pass IT on” home page has helpful resources including a fun personality test.

Locally, Finance Minister Sammy Wilson speaking at an event in Ormeau Library as part of this nationwide campaign said:

“The Delivery and Innovation Division within my Department has joined forces with the University for Industry (UFI) to run this excellent digital inclusion initiative, allowing people to step into the virtual world and discover what the internet has to offer.

This includes a series of sessions called ‘Internet Made Easy’ being held in libraries across Northern Ireland in October to offer citizens the chance to learn how to use the internet and a range of interactive services.  (Visit http://www.ni-libraries.net/ to find your local library)

Acknowledging the reality for many, Mr Wilson said:

“There are still many communities and individuals across Northern Ireland who feel digitally excluded. These sessions aim to help communities to overcome any barriers to technology and show residents how to take advantage of the wealth of opportunities digital technology and the Internet has to offer. For example, the new government website www.nidirect.gov.uk makes accessing government services and information easier.

In conclusion, Mr Wilson said:

“Digital technology can be used to boost individuals’ employability and to transform people’s access to learning and ICT in everyday life and work, so I would encourage citizens to get involved and take part in the Get Online campaign.”

Get Online Day has been promoted widely by the government’s digital champion, Martha Lane Fox, in various social media spaces including her twitter account.

Further Reading:

Quotes taken from:  22 October 2009 – Wilson encourages citizens to get online

Useful Resources: nidirect – Today is Get Online Day

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 finding was that internet searching appears to engage a greater extent of neural circuitry that is not activated during reading.”

“Searching online may be a simple form of brain exercise that might be employed to enhance cognition in older adults.”
Moody and Small, UCLA Researchers

Economic

We all know that being online presents economic benefits such as greater choice and lower prices etc to online users, but encouraging more older people to participate could also help with ecomonic growth.

“Getting older people online and digitally enabled will empower them to reap benefits for themselves but also support finding solutions to sustainable, high quality social and health care for an ageing population. The potential business opportunities are huge, so long as market barriers can continue to be addressed and ethical dimensions are considered in full.”
Older people and technology- a social need, an economic opportunity? Dr Gail Bradbrook, Citizens Online (pdf report)

Social Inclusion

A recent Ofcom study has found that older people are continuing to embrace social networking tools such as blogging and Facebook.  These tools are providing another channel of communicate with friends and family for those who are digitally literate and confident enough to use them - a simple example of how digital participantion can help with social inclusion.

“This is good news and an encouraging trend. With social networking become such a integral part of people’s lives it is vital that certain groups in society, like older people, are not left behind.”
Jason Glynn, uSwitch: Social networking boom among older people – Ofgem

As more people, especially older people, are getting online, they are experimenting with social networking and blogging, according to regulator Ofcom. More people are using the internet to create their own content than ever before with 38% of online users having a social networking profile, compared with 22% in 2007.
Social networking booming with doubling of online profiles

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 18% increase in awareness of the IWF amongst UK internet users. The IWF hopes to increase that this year.
http://www.iwf.org.uk/media/news.268.htm

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.