BoomersJoe – through the eyes of regular Boomers
Oh, please deliver us from all this Big Tech. For many #Boomers during the late '60s and '70s, the Orwellian book 1984 fed the mistrust of Big Brother. As a '60 #VintageBoomer, I remember having an eye on my teenage bedroom wall, representing the Big Brother “eye” is always watching.
These were early days of fear from government surveillance and overreach. Given today's fears of Big Tech and Big Government, are we there yet?
New technology trends in 2021 bring even greater technology solutions. Wider access to a broadening range of products and services make it easier than ever to research and shop from home. But what risks is all this Big Tech exposing you to? Big Brother, Big Tech, and cybercriminals could all be watching. Are you prepared for the road to 2021 technology and risks?
The Eye is Watching
For too many today, no matter left, center, or right, if you spend anytime online, too many sense the worst fears of Orwell's 1984. The surveillance state today includes Big Brother's reach of government and the online monitoring of Big Tech. The unwanted, unknown, or controlling influence of the Big Tech reach has been highlighted in movies for decades, usually in the worst possible ways. Is yesterday's fiction becoming today's reality? Recent concerns of Big Tech overreach have stoked both governmental and individual fears across the country.
Lurking with and compounding these Big Tech censorship and overreach concerns are the most dangerous tech dangers; hackers and cybercriminals. Big Tech's power scares us most because we are not exactly sure what they are doing with all the metadata collected from us. Hackers and cybercriminals use the huge growth of online and cyber activity for one obvious goal; to steal everything they can from us. Big Brother and Big Tech should certainly worry us, but our cyber risks should be a greater alarm because cybercriminals are very clear about exactly what they want from us.
During the 2019 COVID year, it is projected that 62% of Boomers made online purchases. During the 2020 Holiday Season, eCommerce sales were up 45%. All this online activity has had the cybercriminals busier than ever.
Cybercriminals Busier than Ever
The cybercriminals did not self-isolate in 2020; they were working together and harder than ever to exploit security risks and separate us from our money and identities. Some of the different ways they are now working harder than ever to steal your personal information and separate you from your money include:
- Phishing – emails sent to you for information while pretending to be someone you trust
- Malware – trying to get you to click on an offer or message that allows them into your system
- Governmental impersonation – COVID relief – acting as a government agent to get your personal information
- Identity Theft – stealing your personal information and then acting as you to steal your money
- Home Intrusion – hacking into your home security locks or cameras to gain access to your home
- Rogue Recordings – Smart home listening devices could be attacked by hackers or open to risks of Big Tech
- Outdated Software – if your device software is not updated regularly, you often open yourself up to exploits from weaknesses that hackers can exploit
Your Best Defence
Technology continues to bring us many advances that help us and make helping others so much easier in so many ways, but with these advances come many risks. Learning in advance about the risks with the technology you use is the first step in reducing your risk. Some technology risk coverages from insurers do also cover specific risks such as:
- Identity Coverage
- Bullying
- Fraud
- Cyber Extortion
The bottom line is; advances in Big Tech also bring big risks. You are your best line of protection, so educate yourself and, if possible, help others you know that may also need some tech assistance.
We hope you enjoy and find all of our 2021 To-Do List posts from BoomersJoe useful for yourself or for someone you know who may receive some benefit from them on their To-Do lists. We've received questions about items on the topical list from some of you that we did not yet have identified. If you have a topic we have not yet covered, please send us a note, and we will respond.
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