62% of Seniors Say They Can Spot Online Scams
The Cox Mobile survey, Connecting the Digital Dots: Online Habits and Safety Concerns Across Three Generations, reveals that adults aged 65 and older are growing increasingly assured in their ability to navigate the digital world.
Nearly all respondents consider themselves to be somewhat to extremely digitally literate, using their connected devices for activities such as online shopping, managing money, social media, streaming, and gaming. Further, despite the rise of sophisticated cybersecurity threats, 62% say they are confident in their ability to identify and avoid online scams and safety risks.
Why It Matters: Seniors surveyed by Cox Mobile spend more time online than the surveyed – 41% spend five or more hours a day online. Seniors also faced more online security issues in the past year, encountering threats like phishing scams, malware, and data breaches at higher rates. Yet, 61% of those who did experience a threat were able to mitigate the risk on their own, signaling a growing sense of digital confidence and capability.
Many are taking proactive measures to further protect themselves online, like creating strong, unique passwords (70%), installing security software (63%), enabling multi-factor authentication (60%), removing unsafe apps/channels (51%), and utilizing app/device safety features (43%). Additionally, more than half of the seniors surveyed said they would be open to learning more about online safety in a workshop.
Digging Deeper: This proactive approach to online safety may help alleviate the overwhelm of the sandwich generation – adults in their late 30s to 50s who are simultaneously supporting kids as well as aging parents.
While most (55%) agree they are confident in their aging parents’ ability to identify and avoid online scams, one-third say they discuss online safety with their parents several times a week or even daily.
Not Big on AI: Safety-conscious seniors have shied away from using generative AI. Forty-two percent cite safety concerns, and 21% cite a lack of transparency as the reasons they choose not to prompt. However, 49% say they don’t know how to use generative AI and don’t care to learn.
Most seniors who use AI (28%) do so to learn new things or find ideas for recipes, decorating, or grocery lists.
“Today’s seniors are rewriting the digital playbook,” said Colleen Langner, Chief Residential Officer of Cox Communications. “They’re not just logging on, they’re leaning in. From managing money and streaming content to navigating cybersecurity risks with growing confidence, this generation is proving that digital literacy has no age limit. Their cautious approach to emerging tech like AI shows they’re not just connected, but they’re critically engaged.”
Available Resources: Cox Mobile is committed to empowering families with the tools and information they need for safer, healthier online experiences.
To support that mission, Cox Mobile has worked with experts at Common Sense Media to develop a range of educational materials and resources focused on digital safety, smart device use, and media literacy for all ages. To access these resources and the findings from the Connecting the Digital Dots survey, visit www.CoxMobileSafety.com.
