COMPUTERS: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE FOR SENIORS OR
“COMPUTERS DON’T HAVE TO BE SCARY”
AI vs Humans
AI
WELCOME & INTRODUCTION Reassuring Pace: The format is very friendly, and you will be encouraged to progress at your own speed, throughout this journey. Supportive Learning Environment: We meet here in a warm nonintimidating space where questions are welcomed, and mistakes are part of learning. Building Confidence: I especially want to boost your confidence in navigating IT, making it accessible and enjoyable for you. To foster a can, do attitude towards technology. Jargon Free: Getting the most from your devices in plain English
TOPICS WE WILL BE COVERING Can I just Ignore it all ! Anti-Virus Malware Passwords & Security Apps Advertising Social Media
AI – Will it affect me? Is big brother watching me Keeping Safe Online What’s True Anymore? Bots Online banking Google / Microsoft
Email me if you would like to receive notes following these sessions (pdf) petersmerdon@blueyonder.co.uk
SESSION NOTES
Make a note Our next session will be (2nd) Thursday 8th October petersmerdon@blueyonder.co.uk
NEXT SESSION
Photo Tidy Up
AI
Musk's SpaceX to build $100bn launch facility in Louisiana Construction of the $100bn (£73bn) project - named Starbase, Louisiana - is due to start next year, with the 125,000-acre (50,585hectare) site expanding on the company's operations beyond its current Texas headquarters and locations in Florida. It will be used to "support thousands of Starship flights a year with missions launching to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond," SpaceX said on Tuesday. SpaceX said it aims to launch its first Starship flight from the new Louisiana base in 2029. (HS2 2036 !!) The facility will add more than 3,000 jobs to the region, the company said, external.
SPACEX
Chinese robotics giant Unitree soars in stock market debut The world's biggest humanoid robot maker Unitree Robotics made its stock market debut in Shanghai on Wednesday, with its shares ending their first day of trading up by more than 460%. The Chinese firm’s shares, which were offered to investors for 150.80 yuan (£16.50; $22.36) each, closed at 845 yuan and marks a milestone for Beijing's ambitious plans for the country's robotics industry. It comes as the US and China are battling to dominate the global market for robots and artificial intelligence (AI) models that power them. The firm shipped more than 5,500 humanoid robots last year as demand for the technology grows delivering a net profit of £30 million in 2025.
UNITREE
Wouldn’t you just want one of these beauties !! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bnnY49AEiM
LATEST ROBOTS
Meta $18 Billion Settlement As always, the devil is in the detail Meta will pay out up to $18bn to almost all US states, plus the District of Columbia and three US territories. New York will for example get $819 million (over 10 years) 30% of that is dependent on TikTok and YouTube agreeing to put in child safety measures. Mata’s revenue is $201 billion per year so the fine is $1.8 billion or 1% of income per year USA will not have access to Facebook and Instagram overnight, have to follow time limits, and there will be prompts for children who use them for a long time. But there are no bans for young people as required for most of Europe from 2027 So an expensive Win for Meta and the bosses didn’t have to take the stand
META UPDATE
Ai Tips & Tricks
AI
Photo Tidy Up
AI
Iceland Brexit Vote 52/48 NO: 52.8% YES: 47.2% Turnout: 82.6% So the margin was 5.6 percentage points • Iceland has about 395,000 people. • Around 99% of the population uses the internet. • DataReportal estimates 302,000 Facebook users in late 2025 — roughly 80% of the entire population. • TikTok had about 162,000 adult users, equivalent to 51.4% of Iceland's adult population. • Huge influence in news → political discussion → campaigning → public opinion → elections/referendums
AI
AI vs Humans
AI
QUESTION TIME
Top 10 UK Online Shopping Sites • Amazon.co.uk - The biggest all-round marketplace in the UK. • eBay.co.uk - Very popular for both new and used goods; a long-standing marketplace. • Temu.com - Trending strongly in the UK for wide range of low-cost goods. • Argos.co.uk - Major department-store-style retailer; well-known for electronics, toys, and more. • Etsy.com - Marketplace for handmade, vintage, and craft items. • Next.co.uk - Popular for fashion, homeware, and its own brand items. • Tesco.com - Grocery + general online retail from one of the UK’s largest supermarket chains. • Boots.com - Health, beauty, and wellness retailer with a strong online presence. • MarksandSpencer.com - A mix of fashion, food, and home goods, from a trusted UK high-street brand. Including Banking.
ONLINE SHOPPING
Amazon (2024 slide) • Amazon has over 310 million active users globally. • Amazon’s online marketplace has about 9.7 million sellers worldwide, of which ~2 million are actively selling. • More than 62% of all units sold on Amazon come from independent third-party (3P) sellers. • In 2024, Amazon’s net sales reached about US$638 billion, illustrating how massive the shopping volume is. • Demographically: as of May 2025, more than 51% of Amazon customers are male, and the largest age group of shoppers is 25-34 years. • Members of Amazon’s subscription program (Amazon Prime) tend to spend significantly more than non-members on the platform over 220 million users • In 2024, Amazon delivered 9 billion units with same-day or next-day delivery globally.
ONLINE SHOPPING
Amazon 2026 • $200.6 billion — Amazon's total worldwide sales in Q2 2026, up 20% from $167.7bn a year earlier. • $116.2 billion — sales in North America, up 16%. • $42.2 billion — international sales, up 15%. • $42.2 billion — AWS (Amazon Web Services) sales, up a remarkable 37%. • $775.7 billion — Amazon's worldwide sales over the 12 months to June 2026, up 16% year-on-year. • $27.5 billion — Amazon's operating profit in Q2, up 43% from $19.2bn. • $161.4 billion — operating cash flow over the 12 months to June 2026, up 33%. • $60 billion — annualised gross sales generated by Amazon Business. • $25 billion+ — annualised revenue run rate for Amazon's AWS AI business, which Amazon says was growing at tripledigit percentages year-on-year.
ONLINE SHOPPING
Amazon • There’s no confirmed recent large-scale Amazon breach that resulted in widespread loss of customer financial data (credit card numbers, account passwords) — at least based on Amazon’s public statements. • Some security incidents involve third-party systems (e.g. vendors) rather than Amazon’s core systems. • Amazon does actively state that they invest heavily in security and fraud-prevention. According to a submission to UK Parliament, Amazon says it spends $700M+ on fraud prevention and stops large numbers of bad actors. • Use a strong, unique password for your Amazon account. • Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). • Be very careful with emails / links purporting to be from Amazon — phishing is very common. • If you suspect your account was compromised, contact Amazon immediately and your bank / credit card company. Remember 1-5-9
ONLINE SHOPPING
What Etsy Does That Others Don’t • Focuses on handmade, custom, and unique items Etsy specialises in non-mass-produced goods — personalised gifts, crafts, art, vintage items • Gives sellers creative control Sellers can customise products, take commissions, and run micro-brands rather than selling fixed inventory. • Built-in tools for personalisation Etsy’s platform supports made-to-order and personalised listings (engraving, custom prints, tailored designs), which most major marketplaces don’t handle as seamlessly. • A marketplace driven by small creators, not large retailers Etsy actively limits mass-manufacturers and focuses on independent artists, makers, and small businesses. • Strong buyer–seller communication Buyers often interact directly with sellers to request changes, custom sizes, colours, or designs.
ONLINE SHOPPING
Etsy • At the end of 2024, Etsy had 95.5 million active buyers • Consolidated across Etsy, Reverb, and Depop, there were ~8 million active sellers as of December 31, 2024. • Etsy’s total revenue in 2024 was US$2.8 billion. • In Q2 2026 revenue was $2.6 billion ! • In 2024, Etsy’s take rate (i.e., the percentage of GMS it retains as revenue) was 16.1%. (2026 25.9%) • Etsy attracts about 400 million visitors per month • There are over 100 million active product listings on Etsy.
ONLINE SHOPPING
Coming Very Soon to the UK AI Shopping • People are increasingly turning to AI tools, from Copilot to OpenAI's ChatGPT to Google's Gemini, for help with gift ideas and to compare prices, with implications for bargain hunters and retailers alike. • The technology is starting to move beyond using AI tools to help find a product on a retailer's website, to letting shoppers buy items without even leaving a chat-bot. • Walmart, for example, said its partnership with OpenAI "allows customers and Sam's Club members to plan meals, restock essentials, or discover new products simply by chatting". • Allan Binder - "I think AI shopping will help informed consumers become more informed," he said, "while making it easier for uninformed consumers to buy without much thought."
AI SHOPPING
Online Banking – What can you do Convenience Check your balance 24/7 View recent transactions Pay bills and make payments Transfer money to family and friends Set up or manage Direct Debits Deposit cheques with some banking apps Receive alerts when money goes in or out No need to visit a branch for many everyday tasks Online banking can save time and give you greater control over your money.
ONLINE BANKING
Online Banking – Smart Phone vs PC Smartphone Biometric login — fingerprint/Face ID Banking app is isolated from normal web browsing Built-in security hardware Automatic security updates on supported phones Notifications for transactions Easier to use the bank's official app rather than a fake website PC/Mac Larger screen makes checking transactions easier Better for managing documents and accounts Modern Macs and PCs have excellent security But you're more exposed to malicious websites, browser extensions, downloads and email phishing if you're not careful The really important point for seniors The biggest danger isn't usually “someone hacked my phone.” It's: “Someone convinced me to give them access or authorise a payment.”
ONLINE BANKING
Online Banking – Keeping Your Banking Secure Your first line of defence Use a strong, unique password Turn on 2-step verification / 2FA Use your bank's official app or website Keep your phone, tablet and computer up to date Never share your PIN, password or security codes Don't let anyone take control of your computer remotely Use a screen lock on your phone Remember: Your bank will never ask you to move your money to a “safe account.”
ONLINE BANKING
Online Banking – Spotting a scam THINK • PAUSE • VERIFY Be suspicious if someone: Calls claiming to be from your bank Says your account is under attack Creates a sense of urgency or panic Asks you to reveal a security code Tells you to install software Asks you to transfer money Sends a link asking you to “verify” your account The golden rule If someone contacts you unexpectedly about your money — STOP. Hang up and contact your bank using the number on your bank card or official website. Also 1-5-9 for any bank
ONLINE BANKING
Online Banking – Golden Rules 5 things to remember 1. Keep your passwords and PINs private 2. Keep your devices updated 3. Never act because someone is rushing you If in doubt, contact your bank yourself 4. 5. Check your transactions regularly And remember… Making a mistake doesn't make you foolish. Scammers are professionals. If you think you've been tricked, contact your bank immediately — the sooner they know, the more they may be able to do to help.
ONLINE BANKING
Online Banking – Is my money safe Online Banking is Safe — But You Are Part of the Security System Banks are very good at stopping criminals breaking into accounts. Scammers are increasingly trying to persuade YOU to let them in. Remember: Your bank will never ask you to move money to a "safe account". Never give someone your banking password or security codes. Don't click banking links in unexpected texts or emails. If someone calls claiming to be your bank, hang up and call the bank back using the number on your card or 1-5-9 Being rushed is a warning sign. A genuine bank won't mind if you take time to think. Banks currently stop 70p in the £1 of fraud and 98% of customers get refunded.
ONLINE BANKING
QUESTION TIME
STAYING SAFE ONLINE
QUESTION TIME
Make a note Our next session will be (2nd) Thursday 8th October petersmerdon@blueyonder.co.uk
NEXT SESSION
STOP PRESS Advertising company Cheil UK has been working with startup Spotlight on using large language AI models to understand people's online activity, and adapt that content based on what the AI interprets an individual's personality to be. The technology can then mirror how someone talks in terms of tone, phrase and pace to change the text of an ad accordingly, and insert music and colours to match, say, whether the AI deems someone to be introverted or extroverted, or have specific preferences for loud or calm music, or light or dark colours. The aim is to show countless different ads to millions of people, all unique to them. Brands in retail, consumer electronics, packaged goods, automotive, insurance and banking are already using the technology to create AI-enhanced, personality-driven ads to target online shoppers. The AI is able to read what people post on public platforms - Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and other public forums - as well as someone's search history, and, most importantly, what people enter into ChatGPT
SOCIAL MEDIA
Recruitment • It's my first job interview in more than eight years. Even though it's a video interview, I'm still keen to impress. • When I log on, my interviewer, whose name I didn't catch, looks relaxed and friendly. • He asks carefully articulated questions, listens intently, and even asks follow ups regarding particular examples I mention. • So lets listen in for a few moments
RECRUITMENT
AI RECRUITMENT
AI Recruitment • But then, strange things start happening. • He takes a while to process what I'm saying, and his facial expression remains unchanged. Then, halfway through asking me to explain a particular work scenario, he disappears without another word. • He's an AI - and he's crashed.
AI RECRUITMENT
AI Recruitment • This is not a real person but AI generated • Leading in reductions to recruitment staff costs of over 65% • But as more job seekers are using AI to generate their CV’s they apply for more jobs they are not qualified for, so the employers are having to use AI solutions to process the applications looking for key words to weed out the poor candidates • Will the proliferation of AI on both sides of the recruitment process simply cause "a race to the bottom“ ?
AI RECRUITMENT
Cambridge Dictionary's Word of the Year
• "Parasocial"
• Defined as a relationship felt by someone between themselves and a famous person they do not know. Typically, a celebrity, influencer, streamer, or fictional character. • One-sided: Only the audience member feels the bond. • Non-reciprocal: The public figure can’t personally return the relationship. • Emotionally real: The feelings (care, attachment, loyalty) can feel genuine even though the connection isn’t mutual. • Common examples: Fans with YouTubers, streamers, actors, athletes, or characters from TV/books/games.
NEW WORDS
Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year
• “Rage bait"
• Defined as online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive. • It is a term that describes manipulative tactics used to drive engagement online, with usage of it increasing threefold in the last 12 months, according to the dictionary publisher as a result you find yourself getting increasingly irate while scrolling through your social media feed?
NEW WORDS
‘Workslop’ – Stanford University • “AI generated work content that masquerades as good work, but lacks the substance to meaningfully advance a given task. It can appear in many different forms, including documents, slide decks, emails, and code. It often looks good, but is overly long, hard to read, fancy, or sounds off.” • “The insidious effect of workslop is that it shifts the burden of the work downstream, requiring the receiver to interpret, correct, or redo the work.” • ‘Having to read through workshop is demoralizing. It takes away time I could be spending doing my job because someone was too lazy to do theirs.'”
NEW WORDS
Your Suggestions
NEXT TIME
QUESTION TIME
Email me if you would like to receive notes following these sessions (pdf) petersmerdon@blueyonder.co.uk
SESSION NOTES
COMPUTERS: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE FOR SENIORS
“COMPUTERS DON’T HAVE TO BE SCARY” THURSDAY 15TH JANUARY 2026 @ 2:30PM
What is the Cloud - Refresh
CLOUD COMPUTING REVISITED
• SaaS – Software as a Service – Word / Excel • PaaS – Platform as a Service – Amazon AWS • IaaS – ABC Company’s stuff – shopping etc
WHAT IS THE CLOUD
BT Sky EE
http(s)://www.bbc.co.uk/news/storyone http = Hypertext Transfer Protocol https = Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure www = World Wide Web (URL Uniform Resource Locator) bbc = name of company / organisation .co.uk .com .org .gov .co .fr news = Section or menu name storyone = web page name Suspicious http://www.wierdnameorlettershere.com/bbc/news/story one The company name should immediately follow the www.
STAYING SAFE WEB ADDRESSES
• Your house has a postcode, so the Postie knows where to deliver the letter • But you may not be home? So you don’t get it until you arrive home • Email addresses the person not the place wherever you happen to be at the time • Your email address should not be shared with others • yourname@emailprovidor.co.uk • johnsmith@blueyonder.co.uk • Emails can be read on multiple devices at the same time • IMAP - Internet Message Access Protocol • POP - Post Office Protocol • Sender > Cloud > Directs to your email provider > to you • Tip – your email provider should not be the same as your TV provider
STAYING SAFE WEB EMAIL ADDRESSES ADDRESSES
Why the ‘Internet Crashes’ DNS stands for Domain Name System — it’s like the phone book of the internet. When you type a web address (like www.google.com) into your browser: DNS translates that name into an IP address (like 142.250.187.46), so your computer knows which server to contact to load the website. In short: DNS turns easy-to-remember website names into computerfriendly numbers. Without DNS, you’d have to remember long strings of numbers for every site — not very fun! When servers are updated it takes up to 24 hours for all the servers in the rest of the world to catch up. So if the update contains a bug it takes up to 24 hours to correct the mistake!
D.N.S.
STAYING DOMAIN NAMEWEB SERVERS SAFE ADDRESSES
PASSWORD BOOKS
Date: 20/06/25 URL: Link: bbc.co.uk Email: myemailaddress@gmail.com Username: CDHTBS Password / Hint: BbcPL46xv# Three Words – Farm2 / City / Peach# Notes: Login for iPlayer and BBC Sounds Amazon link to buy (£7.99 Prime Day Price) https://tinyurl.com/3wb59vcc