- Slovak Telekom is coming up with a new product intended especially for seniors, how they can better protect themselves from suspicious phone calls.
- Since October, a campaign has been launched, during which seniors will be advised by salespeople in Telekom sales centers, operator technicians will provide information leaflets and on a special website www.enter.study/svet-seniorov they will find advice in the form of videos with actress Ľudmila Swanová.
- The campaign also includes the announcement of a grant program to increase seniors’ digital skills and awareness of safety in the online environment, within which €50,000 will be redistributed.
Older people are much more often victims of sophisticated fraudsters who take advantage of their trust and lack of experience with modern technologies. Therefore, it is important that they have information about fraudulent calls, but especially about how to recognize them and prevent negative consequences. “Our experience shows that almost every second senior is worried about scam calls,” explains Marcel Zanechal, manager of corporate security at Slovak Telekom.
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Slovak Telekom has more than three years of experience in supporting digital skills and educating seniors about the opportunities and dangers of modern technologies. “Each of us can help older people navigate the digital world more safely and confidently“, says Melinda Szabó, CEO of Slovak Telekom: “It’s often the little things that make a big difference. We would like to help seniors feel safe using digital technologies. Our new initiative can also encourage family members, especially children and grandchildren, to support their elderly relatives in being able to defend themselves against scam calls. It is also an important way in which we contribute to digital inclusion, which ultimately enriches society as a whole.“
EDUCATION FOR SENIORS WILL BEGIN FROM OCTOBER, BUT NOT ONLY FOR THEM
New educational activities will focus on awareness. Seniors will be able to consult directly at Telekom stores about options for what to do if they encounter a suspicious phone call. An information leaflet will also be prepared for them, which contains basic information on how not to succumb to a coercive stressful situation, but to act prudently. Flyers will also be distributed by technical staff when visiting customers, so that not only seniors, but also their loved ones or acquaintances can get information.
The awareness campaign will also include a series of informative videos with actress Ľudmila Swanová, who almost became a victim of a suspicious phone callbut with her vigilance she was able to handle him. In the videos, he will share his experience and at the same time provide practical tips for the safe use of social networks and the Internet, so that seniors can communicate safely and use modern technologies without fear of fraud.
THE GRANT PROGRAM MATURING FOR THE DIGITAL AGE WILL ALSO HELP SENIORS
The Telekom Endowment Fund at the Pontis Foundation is announcing the Maturity for the Digital Age grant program for the fourth timewhich is aimed at improving the digital skills of seniors and their safety in the online environment. This program has become an important tool for supporting the digital inclusion of older people in Slovakia. This year it is €50,000 allocated to projects and those interested in support can get details at www.enter.study/svet-seniorov.
According to Tatiana Švrčková, senior CSR specialist at Slovak Telekom, interest in the grant is growing: “Since its inception, we have supported projects from all over Slovakia with an amount of almost €160,000, which have helped more than 4,000 seniors acquire new skills and self-confidence in the use of digital technologies. Such projects clearly help the inclusion of seniors in the era, which undoubtedly belongs to the digital age.”
The organizations that received the grant implemented various digital-educational projects to build basic digital skills, as well as educate about protection against cyber threats. There were also intergenerational activities, where younger volunteers helped seniors with digital technologies. At the same time, cooperation with local governments was started to create digital centers for senior citizens, whose priority is to maintain their continuity with modern tools.
The new year of the grant call “Mature for the digital age” announced by the Telekom Foundation in cooperation with the Pontis Foundation wants to support organizations and their activities that focus on improving the communication skills of seniors in the digital environment. They also cover specific topics such as combating fraud and hoaxes, addressing the security threats seniors face (e.g. spam, phishing, spamming, hateful online behavior, misuse of personal data) and how to protect yourself from them. They also deal with increasing the media literacy of seniors, including critical thinking, verifying information sources and sharing content.
Applicants can submit their projects until November 14, 2024. Evaluation of applications a notification of successful applicants will take place on November 28, 2024. Successful applicants will be able to draw funds in the period from December 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025.
The full text of the grant call is available at www.nadacnyfondtelekom.sk as well as on www.enter.study
About Slovak Telekom, as
Slovak Telekom is the largest Slovak telecommunications operator with many years of experience and a responsible approach to business. Under the Telekom brand, it provides a wide portfolio of fixed and mobile network services to individuals, households and corporate customers. Every year, it invests tens of millions of euros in building its own fixed and mobile infrastructure. Services on the optical network are already available for 1,177,000 households. Telekom’s mobile networks received the Best in Test award from umlaut (P3) for their quality seven times in a row between 2015 and 2019. Slovak Telekom started the first commercial operation of the 5G network in December 2020, currently it covers 62% of the population, or 88 cities and 658 municipalities.
Slovak Telekom is part of the multinational Deutsche Telekom Group. Its sole shareholder is Deutsche Telekom Europe BV with 100% of the shares.
Source: www.nextech.sk
