UC’s School of Computer & Information Sciences discusses Internet security with seniors

The School of Computer and Information Sciences at University of the Cumberlands (UC) recently hosted a seminar on Internet security for senior citizens in Whitley County.

“Identity theft is a problem that plagues anyone who has an online presence,” said Dr. Donnie Grimes, chair of the School of Computer and Information Sciences and vice president for information services at UC. “We want to do everything in our power to inform people of some simple safeguards that anyone can do to protect themselves against predators.”

The seminar was hosted at Senior Citizens of Whitley County and was led by Curt Lawson, an adjunct professor and training supervisor at Cumberlands.

The aim of the seminar was to inform participants about protecting their identities and avoiding online scams.

“With all the scams that go on it’s something that they’re vulnerable to, so I wanted them to know how to protect themselves,” said Virginia Hayes, director at Senior Citizens of Whitley County.
In the coming months, the School of Computer and Information Sciences intends to host additional awareness events in the community to help people of all ages use the Internet confidently and securely.

The primary take-away for this event was for people to keep an open mind and their eyes open to possible security issues,” Lawson said. “Don’t assume that technology is always safe and be aware of the risks. Also know that our department is here as a resource in the community.”