Using the Internet Safely For Seniors

➟ Does the phone or device have Internet access?If

you want to check e-mail or use the Web to look up

restaurants or directions when you’re on the road,

you need Internet access.

➟ Does the phone with Internet access offer filters

that block content that could be harmful to chil-

dren or offensive to you?Is the filter turned on? If

the filter isn’t on by default, ask the sales person to

turn it on for you in the store and help you set appro-

priate filter levels.

➟ Does the phone or device have location (GPS)

capability?GPS allows you to let your phone’s loca-

tion be tracked. This is useful for emergencies, such as

a car accident when you can dial 911. If the phone

doesn’t have GPS capability, 911 may not be able to

identify your location. If you need to, you should be

able to block this capability or limit it so that your

grandchild can’t grant access to predators who are try-

ing to track your location.

➟ Is the phone or device Bluetooth enabled? Bluetooth

is a technology that allows a mobile phone to seek, dis-

cover, and talk to other Bluetooth-enabled devices in

the area. This capability is available in some cars so

that you can talk hands-free while driving, which is, in

fact, required by law in many states. However, with

Bluetooth enabled, nearby devices can access informa-

tion on your phone. When Bluetooth functionality is

turned off, other devices can’t detect the phone, pull

information from it, or send information to it.

Here are some additional cell phone safety tips:

➟ Know how to report theft of the device.You may

need to provide hardware information found within

the device, under the battery. If you don’t have this

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Chapter 15: Using Technology to Keep You Safer