A new study from Avast, a consumer Cyber Safety brand of Gen, reveals a growing need for Kiwi families to have open and honest conversations with older loved ones about staying safe online.
With cybercrime targeting older adults at alarming rates, the report exposes just how wide the generational Cyber Safety gap has become, and how family members often struggle to bridge it.
According to the Avast Safe Tech Report, nearly one in two Kiwis with older loved ones have helped them avoid falling victim to a scam, and 84 percent of Kiwis with older loved ones have tried to warn them about risky online behaviour or scams.
Only 53 percent changed their habits, while others didn’t understand the advice they were given (16 percent). Some older people even said their younger family members were overreacting (10 percent) or lied and said they’d change but didn’t (9 percent).
When warning their older loved ones about risky online behaviour, New Zealanders raised concerns about six key behaviours:
- clicking on suspicious links (91 percent),
- oversharing personal information (78 percent),
- answering unknown calls (83 percent),
- responding to texts from strangers (84 percent),
- downloading unfamiliar apps (78 percent),
- and using weak passwords (70 percent).
Shockingly, 44 percent report that their older loved ones still write their passwords on a piece of paper, a habit that may seem harmless but creates an open invitation for criminal activity.
Discussing online safety isn’t always comfortable, but it’s crucial.
According to the Avast Safe Tech Report, almost half (46 percent) of people in New Zealand with older loved ones say their ageing loved ones have already fallen victim to an online threat. These aren’t just statistics; they represent real families facing serious, sometimes devastating, consequences.
“We see that many older adults genuinely want to stay safe online but weren’t raised with this technology, where the rules are constantly changing,” said Mark Gorrie, APAC Managing Director for Avast.
“The Avast Safe Tech Report shows that small behaviours – like jotting down passwords or trusting unsolicited calls – can open the door to massive fraud. That’s why families need to talk about it, openly and often.”
Practice Safe Tech
- Strengthen Password Habits: Use long, unique passwords for each account – at least 15-20 characters with a mix of lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers and symbols. Avoid personal information and consider using a password manager, such as Norton Password Manager.
- Spot the Red Flags: Be cautious with unsolicited emails, texts or calls claiming to be from banks, NZ Police or tech support. Scams often create a false sense of urgency to trigger quick action.
- Know the Common Scams: Become familiar with the top scams targeting older adults, such as phishing, tech support hoaxes, romance scams, fake invoice scams, fake software updates and fake NZ Police scams.
- Set Up Smart Safety Tools: Protect phones, computers and tablets with security software that includes scam protection, such as Avast with Scam Guardian , and use a secure browser such as Avast Secure Browser. Keep devices and apps updated.
- Make Cyber Safety a Team Effort: Create a “phone-a-friend” plan and run things by someone you trust if you’re in doubt about whether a message or request is legitimate.
Cyber Safety isn’t a one-time lesson, it’s an everyday habit. Just as locking your doors or testing your smoke alarms is second nature, staying safe online should be a habit.
Make it a family priority: schedule regular tech check-ins, be the trusted source for guidance and remind your loved ones – there’s no such thing as a silly question when it comes to staying safe online, only missed chances to protect yourself.
