Seniors pick up digital literacy skills in Chong Pang, including tips for safe online shopping
Published on
07 Apr 2024
Published by
The Straits Times
SINGAPORE - Senior citizens in Chong Pang estate received lessons to improve their digital literacy skills, including tips on how they can safely navigate the online shopping space.
The event at the Chong Pang Community Club on April 6 came in the wake of a report by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) that showed more Singapore residents aged 60 and above were embracing digital tools to communicate, seek information and make payment.
Housewife Jawiah Sarwi, 77, was among a number of residents who turned up from 8.30am for training sessions provided by volunteers, who included staff of e-commerce platform Shopee.
Said Madam Jawiah, who was given a $10 voucher and a mug in a goodie bag after the lessons: “I don’t want to depend on my children. I’ll be happy if I can do it (navigate Shopee) on my own, so that I can order coffee and milk for seniors.”
Volunteers manned 12 learning booths, set up at the community club’s multi-purpose sheltered hard court, for the Shopee Empowers Seniors event.
Seniors and their families received personalised guidance on downloading the shopping app, account registration and performing e-commerce purchases.
Ms Wen Xin, a volunteer at the event, said residents had many questions, such as how to make online payments, browse for products on the Shopee app and make a request for delivery.
Ms Wen, 28, said some seniors were confused when told online shopping may not involve a bricks-and-mortar store.
“(At the start of the lesson), one woman asked, ‘Where is Shopee?’ She thought Shopee was a physical store and not an online platform. I told her, ‘Shopee is in your phone right now’,” said Ms Wen.
Each senior received a guidebook to help them recall what was taught to them.
The guidebook showed diagrams and steps on how to log in, find and use vouchers to check out a product and monitor delivery status.
The IMDA also gave out booklets on shopping online safely, with cyber-security tips such as not sharing personal or financial details and not clicking on links in messages or e-mails.
The inaugural Singapore Digital Society Report, published by the IMDA in November 2023, showed that more seniors were becoming comfortable with online transactions – with 78 per cent using e-payments in 2022, up from 33 per cent in 2020.
More of them also went online for information – with 86 per cent doing so in 2022, compared with 53 per cent in 2020.
The report also noted that seniors had lower confidence than the general population about spotting scams. According to figures from the Singapore Police Force, seniors, aged 65 and above, accounted for 7.1 per cent of scam victims in 2023.
Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam told the media at the event that seniors need help to navigate the online space safely as they did not grow up with digitalisation.
Shutting them out of the digital world is not an option, he said, adding: “You can’t be worried about scams to the extent that we don’t do anything.”
Mr Shanmugam, who is the MP for the area, said events like the one held at Chong Pang can help seniors feel confident about going on a responsible e-commerce platform.
Mr Chua Kel Jin, director of Shopee Singapore, said about 10 per cent of Shopee users are above 55 years old.
He said buying products on e-commerce platforms can be safe, if precautions are taken.
For example, users should use e-commerce platforms that provide money-back guarantees and decline offers to go off-platform to complete a transaction.
He added that it will take time to help seniors build confidence.
“Eventually, at some point, they become digitally savvy and tell their friends about it,” he said.
Over 500 residents attended the event, which had booths for digital literacy, health and home fire safety, as well as activities such as coaster- and keychain-making.
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Reproduced with permission.
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