Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697636446958.pdf (Australia)
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia Cybersafety for Seniors: A Worthwhile Journey Second Interim Report Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety March 2013 Canberra © Commonwealth of Australia 2013 ISBN 978-1-74366-008-9 (Printed version) ISBN 978-1-74366-009-6 (HTML version) This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License.
The details of this licence are available on the Creative Commons website: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/au/.
Contents Foreword ............................................................................................................................................. ix Membership of the Committee ............................................................................................................ xi Terms of reference ............................................................................................................................ xiii List of abbreviations .......................................................................................................................... xiv List of recommendations ................................................................................................................... xix 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 Conduct of the inquiry .............................................................................................................. 3 Online survey for seniors ............................................................................................................ 4 This report ................................................................................................................................. 5 2 How seniors use information and communication technologies .................... 7 How seniors are using ICT ....................................................................................................... 9 Using ICT in remote, regional and rural areas ...................................................................... 11 Computer clubs for seniors ....................................................................................................... 13 Seniors and online social networking ................................................................................... 14 Seniors’ use of internet for banking and ecommerce .......................................................... 16 Shopping online ...................................................................................................................... 16 Shift of government services to the internet ........................................................................ 17 Government initiatives to engage seniors with ICT ................................................................... 18 Barriers to internet access for seniors.................................................................................. 21 The cost of ICT as a barrier for seniors ..................................................................................... 23 Concluding comments ........................................................................................................... 25 3 Cybersafety risks and threats for seniors ....................................................... 27 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 27 iv The nature and prevalence of cybercrime ............................................................................ 27 Emergent cyber threats .......................................................................................................... 29 Identity theft by ‘phishing’ .......................................................................................................... 31 Computer hacking ..................................................................................................................... 32 Superannuation fraud and boiler room investment schemes .................................................... 33 Online dating and romance scams ............................................................................................ 34 Money transfer, lottery and charity scams ................................................................................. 35 Are seniors more at risk?
....................................................................................................... 36 Wealthy or seeking wealth ........................................................................................................ 37 Reluctant and online ................................................................................................................. 39 Unfamiliarity with cyber ‘conventions’ ........................................................................................ 40 Increased social networking ...................................................................................................... 42 The NBN and technology take-up ............................................................................................. 44 Seniors’ responses to risk ..................................................................................................... 45 Building seniors’ confidence and safety online ................................................................... 46 Keep it simple: key messages for keeping safe ........................................................................ 47 Keep it clear: user friendly web design and interfaces .............................................................. 49 Make it safe: access to computers and security advice ............................................................ 51 Make it easy: a single portal for reporting and advice ............................................................... 52 Concluding comments ........................................................................................................... 55 4 Cybersafety education and training for seniors ............................................. 57 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 57 How seniors prefer to learn .................................................................................................... 58 Inter-generational cybersafety help ........................................................................................... 60 Cybersafety education for the most vulnerable ......................................................................... 61 Cybersafety education for life .................................................................................................... 62 Cybersafety education currently available for seniors ........................................................ 63 Off-line cybersafety education for seniors ................................................................................. 65 Incidental cybersafety education for seniors ............................................................................. 66 Government cybersafety training initiatives ............................................................................... 67 Suggestions for future cybersafety education and training ........................................................ 72 Research into appropriate cybersafety education ............................................................... 76 Targeting cybersafety training appropriately ............................................................................. 78 v Overseas cybersafety training initiatives .............................................................................. 78 The cost of training .................................................................................................................... 80 Concluding comments ........................................................................................................... 81 5 Consumer protection, regulation and enforcement ........................................ 83 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 83 Australia’s cybersafety framework ........................................................................................ 84 Federal agencies ....................................................................................................................... 84 State and Territory consumer protection activities .................................................................... 91 Updating the law ..................................................................................................................... 92 International co-operation and law enforcement ....................................................................... 93 Protection of personal information ............................................................................................. 94 Support for enhanced protections ........................................................................................ 95 Cross-jurisdictional collaboration ............................................................................................... 96 Mandatory reporting of data breaches ...................................................................................... 98 Secure government information systems — PCEHR ................................................................ 99 Consumer awareness measures ......................................................................................... 102 Central collection and analysis of data ............................................................................... 105 Concluding comments ......................................................................................................... 107 6 The role of industry ......................................................................................... 109 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 109 Building productive capacity under a digital economy ..................................................... 110 Industry security and consumer protection codes ............................................................ 111 Mandatory codes for industry?
................................................................................................ 114 Self-regulation and data monitoring .................................................................................... 115 ISPs, data monitoring and ‘walled gardens’ ............................................................................ 116 Private networks ...................................................................................................................... 119 Regulating online transactions and money transfer .......................................................... 120 The obligations of banks ......................................................................................................... 120 Online shopping and money transfer ...................................................................................... 122 Industry’s cybersafety services to seniors ......................................................................... 122 Privacy and security advice ..................................................................................................... 123 Defensive web design ............................................................................................................. 125 vi Product training and technical support .................................................................................... 127 Computer and security product costs ...................................................................................... 128 Raising industry’s cybersafety and security awareness ................................................... 129 Industry/government partnerships for cybersafety ........................................................... 131 Bringing all partners together .................................................................................................. 133 Concluding comments ......................................................................................................... 135 7 Concluding comments .................................................................................... 137 Appendix A — Submissions .................................................................................. 141 Appendix B — Exhibits .......................................................................................... 145 Appendix C — Witnesses ...................................................................................... 147 Appendix D — Online survey evaluation .............................................................. 153 The survey ............................................................................................................................. 153 Launching and advertising the survey ..................................................................................... 153 Closing the survey ................................................................................................................... 154 YOURLifeChoices survey ..................................................................................................... 154 Other research ........................................................................................................................ 155 Discussion of responses to the Committee’s survey ........................................................ 155 Who completed the survey ...................................................................................................... 155 How seniors use the internet ................................................................................................... 155 How seniors acquire their online skills .................................................................................... 158 How safe do seniors feel when online?
................................................................................... 161 Scams and internet fraud ........................................................................................................ 163 Seniors’ perception of government involvement ...................................................................... 165 Education about cybersafety and regulation ........................................................................... 166 Concluding comments ......................................................................................................... 168 Appendix E — Online resources ........................................................................... 169 Appendix F – Phishing Scam ................................................................................ 171 vii LIST O F TABLES Table 1 Question: Do you have a computer at home?
................................................................ 154 Table 2 Question: What do you use the internet for?

.................................................................. 155 Table 3 Question: Where did you acquire your computer skills?

................................................ 157 Table 4 Question: Where did you acquire your computer skills?

................................................ 158 Table 5 Question: Do you find using the internet difficult or frustrating?
..................................... 158 Table 6 Question: Are you worried about online safety?

............................................................. 160 Table 7 Question: Have you been affected by e-mail scams, identity theft or fraud?
................. 161 Table 8 Question: Level of comfort accessing Government information/services online ............ 163 Table 9 Questions on Education and regulation ......................................................................... 164 viii Foreword Cyber technology has developed dramatically in the last 20 years and the internet and other new communications technologies have infiltrated our lives in ways most of us would not have imagined only a few years ago.
Australians are now communicating with government, business, family and friends, as well as shopping and banking, online.

While many senior Australians may have been reluctant to venture into the cyber world initially, seniors are now the fastest growing online user group in the country.

Anyone who uses the internet is vulnerable to cyber security threats but the Committee found that seniors are particularly vulnerable for several reasons.
In the words of Dr Helen Kimberley from the Brotherhood of St Laurence, senior Australians are ‘digital immigrants’ not ‘digital natives’ as young people are.

Seniors have not grown up using the technology and, in the case of the older senior cohort, they did not even have the advantage of using computers in their work before retirement.

Many seniors therefore have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to being ‘cyber savvy’.
Additionally, seniors are attractive targets for criminals because many seniors own substantial assets and have access to life savings and their superannuation.

In many cases, seniors are looking for opportunities to invest their money, so they might be receptive to scams and fraudulent investment opportunities.

The Committee spoke to seniors who have enthusiastically embraced the internet and other communications technology, and who act safely online.
However, the Committee also received a lot of evidence showing that there are many senior Australians who either are not using the internet at all, or are using it with caution, because they are afraid of becoming involved in cyber security issues.

Additionally, many are now too embarrassed to admit to family and others that they have no knowledge of the internet and no idea how they would go about ‘getting online’.
For these seniors, education and training will be their key to becoming cyber savvy and cyber safe.

x Paradoxically, it is often the seniors who could most benefit from being online in their own home—that is, the geographically isolated or those who are housebound through disability or for other reasons—who have been left behind and are not yet online.

Many of these seniors are hesitant to venture into the cyber world, if indeed they even knew how to do so.
The Committee found that there is a lot of help available for seniors who want to go online, particularly in the more populated parts of the country.

Many seniors’ groups, public libraries and government departments around the nation are helping seniors start the journey towards being cyber savvy.

Some seniors’ clubs are teaching computing with a cybersafety component and some also teach dedicated cybersafety courses.
The Universities of the Third Age are experiencing very high demand for their computer courses.

Public libraries around the nation are doing an impressive job of helping seniors to safely use email, smartphones, social networking and to access government sites and services.

Over 2,000 Broadband for Seniors kiosks are located around the nation offering free internet access and training for seniors.
At the back of this report we have included a list of on-line resources which offer cybersafety advice and guidance.

As a starting point I would advise seniors with cybersafety concerns to look at the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy’s Stay Smart Online webpage or the FaHCSIA Staying- Safe-Online website.

The FaHCSIA website also has information about the Broadband for Seniors kiosks.
In conclusion, I would like to express my appreciation to the Committee’s Deputy Chair and my colleagues on the Committee.

On behalf of the Committee, I would also like to thank the Secretariat for the enthusiasm and dedication they have shown to this inquiry.

My thanks also go to everyone who sent in a submission, or appeared as a witness, either at a public hearing or at the round table in Hobart.
Thanks also to each of the 536 seniors who took the time to complete the Committee’s online cybersafety for seniors’ survey.

All of the information provided to the Committee was invaluable in the writing of this report.

The Committee has made 13 recommendations in this unanimous report, all of which we believe will improve cybersafety for senior Australians.

As the report title suggests, the journey to help all seniors enjoy the benefits of being online while staying cyber-safe is a worthwhile one.
Senator Catryna Bilyk Chair Membership of the Committee Chair Senator Catryna Bilyk Deputy Chair Mr Alex Hawke MP Members Mr Michael Danby MP Senator David Bushby Ms Nola Marino MP Senator Scott Ludlam Mr Graham Perrett MP Senator Stephen Parry Ms Amanda Rishworth MP Senator Louise Pratt Mr Tony Zappia MP Committee Secretariat Secretary Mr Russell Chafer (from 9/7/12) Mr James Catchpole (until 9/7/12) Mr David Monk (from 26/3/12 until 11/5/12) Inquiry Secretary Dr Cathryn Ollif (from 3/4/12) Ms Loes Slattery (until 27/3/12) Research Officers Ms Loes Slattery (14/05/12 until 6/07/2012 and from 14 /12/2012) Administrative Officers Ms Heidi Luschtinetz Mrs Dorota Cooley (from 23/7/12) Ms Michaela Whyte (until 20/7/12) Terms of reference The Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety shall inquire and report on the cybersafety of senior Australians, and make recommendations aimed at ensuring Australian law, policy and programs represent best practice measures for the cybersafety of senior Australians.
Cybersafety for senior Australians includes issues of consumer protection, such as financial security and protecting personal information, and issues involving using social networking sites safely.
In particular, the Committee shall inquire into: a) b) c) d) the nature, prevalence and level of cybersafety risks and threats experienced by senior Australians; the impact and implications of those risks and threats on access and use of information and communication technologies by senior Australians; the adequacy and effectiveness of current government and industry initiatives to respond to those threats, including education initiatives aimed at senior Australians; and best practice safeguards, and any possible changes to Australian law, policy or practice that will strengthen the cybersafety of senior Australians.
List of abbreviations ABACUS Australian Business Assessment of Computer User Security ABS ACC Australian Bureau of Statistics Australian Crime Commission ACCC Australian Competition and Consumer Commission ACFT Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce ACL Australian Consumer Law ACMA Australian Communications and Media Authority ADIs AFP Australian Deposit-taking Institutions Australian Federal Police AGIMO Australian Government Information Management Office A-Gs Attorney–General’s Department AHRC Australian Human Rights Commission AIC AISA ALIA AO Australian Institute of Criminology Australian Information Security Association Australian Library and Information Association Officer of the Order of Australia APPs Australia Privacy Principles xv ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation ASCCA Australian Seniors Computer Clubs’ Association ASIC ATO ATM BPAY BSOL Australian Securities and Investments Commission Australian Tax Office Automated teller machine Bill payment service Brisbane Seniors Online Association CALD Culturally and Linguistically Diverse CCI Creative Industries and Innovation C/CSPs Carriers and carriage service providers CDPP Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions CEO Chief Executive Officer CERT Computer Emergency Response Team CIS CLC CSOC CWP DBCDE Centre for Internet Safety Communications Law Centre Cyber Security Operations Centre Consultative Working Party Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy DMARC Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance DPP Director of Public Prosecutions EFTPOS Electronic funds transfer at point of sale FaHCSIA Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs xvi FECCA Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia GDP Gross Domestic Product HTCO High Tech Crime Operations ICT IIA ISP IT Information and communication technologies Internet Industry Association of Australia Internet Service Provider Internet technology LACVI Life Activities Clubs Victoria Inc. NBN National Broadband Network NEHTA National E-Health Transition Authority NSA National Seniors Australia NSIPC National Security and International Policy Group NSLA National & State Libraries Australasia OCS Online Content Scheme PA-DSS Payment Application Data Security Standard PCEHR Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record PDF PINs PTS Portable Document Format (PDF) - Adobe Reader Personal Identification Numbers PIN Transaction Security PM&C Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet PCI DSS Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards SAT SIR Security Analysis Toolkit Security Incident Response SMEs Small and Medium Enterprises xvii SOIF TIO UTS U3A VoIP VMR Serious and Organised Investment Fraud Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman University of Technology, Sydney University of the Third Age Voice Over the Internet Protocol Vulnerability Management and Research xviii List of recommendations 2 How seniors use information and communication technologies Recommendation 1 That the Australian Government investigates innovative ways of providing low cost internet connection to financially disadvantaged housebound and geographically isolated seniors who request it.
Recommendation 2 That an advertising campaign targeting seniors be devised to alert seniors around the nation to the existence and location of the Broadband for Seniors kiosks.

Recommendation 3 That the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy prioritise including some cybersafety information on their website in languages other than English.
3 Cybersafety risks and threats for seniors Recommendation 4 That the Australian Government develops, as a supplement to its Web Guide, a web style guide prescribing the key elements of web design to ensure simplicity of language, visual clarity in design and logical navigation tools.

This could be supported by graphical step-by-step tutorials for use where applicable.
Recommendation 5 In support of the previous recommendation, the Committee also recommends that, in addition to conducting compliance audits based on the web style guide requirements, the Australian Government xx Information Management Office should offer an Annual Award for user friendly web design, in part based on public input on the utility of government websites.
Recommendation 6 That the Australian Government develops a centralised user friendly reporting and cybersafety awareness portal for all types of cybercrime with links to relevant regulators.

The site should feature a dedicated reporting tab, a seniors tab and be backed up by a telephone service which links individuals to appropriate victim support, training and other advice.
Recommendation 7 In support of the above, the Australian Government should investigate options for the contracting of appropriate non-government organisations or private organisations to provide support and advice to victims of online and technology related crime.
4 Cybersafety education and training for seniors Recommendation 8 That the Australian Government advertise the Broadband for Seniors initiative widely, including: launching a campaign publicising the internet kiosks using seniors  clubs, magazines, newspapers, radio and television; and  widely advertising the new cybersafety telephone helpline, including on all government websites which host cybersafety information.
Recommendation 9 That the Australian Government work with the States and Territories to support public libraries or community resource centres where no public library exists, for the purpose of meeting the demand for cybersafety training for seniors.
5 Consumer protection, regulation and enforcement Recommendation 10 That Australian Government’s cyber awareness campaigns should headline clear and practical messages for cybersafety on the central reporting and awareness portal, and appear up front of all published cyber awareness material for the general community.

xxi Recommendation 11 That the cybercrime reporting tab on the central reporting and awareness portal be designed for ease of access to users and to facilitate data collation and assessment.
The system should be supported by simple online instructions and accessible to the visually and aurally impaired, and for print in hard copy.

6 The role of industry Recommendation 12 That the Australian Government establish a consultative working group, with wide stakeholder representation, to co-ordinate and promote government and industry partnerships and initiatives in support of a healthy and secure online environment.
Recommendation 13 That the proposed consultative working group should examine the effectiveness and promote awareness of relevant industry codes of practice, and make recommendations to governments at all levels on these matters.