Shadow Secretary to join webinar on human rights impact of scams & digital exclusion on older people
Is the UK’s increasing drive to digital-only communications not only excluding millions of older people but breaching their human rights?
This is one of the many key questions to be debated at the National Pensioners’ Convention (NPC) webinar, “Connections for All: Digital & the Right to Choose” this Friday (12pm-1.30pm), 1st October, to mark UN International Day of Older Persons.
Speakers at the free event will include Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Jo Stevens MP; Age UK Charity Director Caroline Abrahams CBE; and retired GP Dr Jennifer Bute. They will discuss why many older people still reject the many benefits of going online, and what might be done by both government and business to ensure they are not excluded from society.
Webinar Chair, Jan Shortt, NPC General Secretary said: “Nearly two million over 75s (Age UK) still don’t use the internet, and many of our NPC members cite fears of scams as much as lack of knowledge, confidence and money as reasons for not going online. But some older people simply don’t want to use the internet, even if they could and had training.
“It is not acceptable to just discount their rights to choose how they stay connected in this increasingly digitalised world, just to suit government and corporate agendas. We need to ensure that businesses, government and even the NHS – which has seen a rise in GP internet video consultations – offer people a choice of ways to communicate, whether this is by telephone, or letter, face to face, or online.
“We should point out that while this debate is happening in an internet webinar due to the restrictions of the pandemic, we will be posting a written report to NPC members who are not online.”
Shadow Culture Secretary Jo Stevens MP told the Labour Party conference on Tuesday (28th) that the government was not doing enough to protect people from scams, and that their new draft Online Safety Bill did not go far enough to tackle the problem* with £2.3billion lost to victims of fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland last year.
Age UK research** showed that while internet usage increased during the pandemic, it still did not rise as much among the over 75s. Not only was the cost of buying a tablet or smartphone, the expense of broadband and internet security an issue, many simply did not want to go online.
To attend the free webinar, please register here:
If you have any difficulties trying to register, email info@npcuk.org to let us know.
All the webinars will also be live streamed to the NPC YouTube channel
**https://www.ageuk.org.uk/latest-press/articles/2021/nearly-two-million-over-75s-in-england-are-still-digitally-excluded--in-a-covid-19-world/
Download the press release
The NPC webinar Connections For All: Digital & The Right to Choose takes place on International Day of Older Persons, Friday, 1st October 2021 at 12 noon and we have a great list of speakers.
You can register for the event using the link below
Speakers
JO STEVENS MP, Shadow Secretary, Digital Culture, Media & Sport.
CAROLINE ABRAHAMS CBE, Charity Director AGE UK
DR JENNIFER BUTE, Retired GP, Founder of Glorious Opportunity
JENNY SIMS / DAVID BRIGGS, NPC Digital Working Party
Chair
JAN SHORTT, NPC General Secretary
Date - Friday, 1st October 2021
Time - 12pm – 1.30pm
NPC Connections For All: Digital & The Right to Choose
AGENDA
12noon - WELCOME & INTRODUCTION from CHAIR, JAN SHORTT, NPC General Secretary.
12.08pm - JAN Introduces Session Administrator JONATHAN SAFIR, NPC Administration & Information Manager, to explain the format.
12.10pm - JO STEVENS MP, Shadow Secretary, Digital Culture, Media & Sport.
12.25pm – JAN asks Shadow Secretary submitted audience questions.
12.30pm – CAROLINE ABRAHAMS CBE, Charity Director AGE UK
12.45pm – JAN asks Caroline audience questions
12.50pm – DR JENNIFER BUTE, retired GP & founder of Glorious Opportunity.
1pm – JAN asks Dr Bute audience questions.
1.05pm – JENNY SIMS / DAVID BRIGGS, NPC Digital Working Party.
1.15pm – Panel Q & A with Audience.
1.30pm – JAN brings session to a close –
WEBINAR ENDS