The sandwich generation — which is people in their 30s and 40s who are both raising their own children and caring for aging parents — has always had a lot on its plate. And, these days, there’s a relatively new addition to the party: managing people’s digital lives. That’s because both children and older adults often need help and guidance when it comes to navigating online safety. 

Interestingly, a lot of the best practices for kids’ online safety also apply to older people. Check out our quiz to assess your own cyber awareness and then read our top articles on how to navigate online safety at any age, with actionable tips to help you protect your family. 

Protecting the older people in our lives

How to protect your older loved ones from getting scammed online

Cybercrime against older people is one of the main cash cows for scammers these days, largely because older people tend to have more money than those in early parts of their careers. The most common scams targeting older adults are phishing, sweetheart, IRS, tech support, and grandchild scams. Here’s how to help the older people in your life stay safe from these types of scams.

Many of the world’s elders avoid the internet due to lack of support

This is a great one for members of the sandwich generation who are feeling burned out from acting as tech support to both five-year-olds and 75-year-olds. The internet can be an amazing place for older people, allowing them access to a broader world that they might not be able to access physically anymore. But without the proper support, many don’t feel comfortable going online. Could you be the person who expands the world for the older people in your life? 

Older generations shouldn't fear being a digital burden

So many older people are scared of asking for help. But that fear not only keeps them isolated — it could potentially put them in danger. Check out these stats and personals stories about older people feeling like they’re burdening the younger people in their lives when it comes to living digitally. 

Avast Red Team’s top 5 security tips for your grandma

Security experts at Avast outline the top five easiest things the older people in your life can do to protect themselves online. (Spoiler: It’s a lot more than installing an antivirus on their machine.)

Sandwich generation

The majority of Americans have been targeted by online scammers

Look, it’s not just older people being targeted for scams: The majority of Americans have been contacted by a scammer. Check out this article for some insight into just how common this problem is, for people of all ages. 

Millennials are the most likely to fall for online scams

When you picture someone getting scammed online, who do you picture? Maybe a grandparent, like Phyllis, who was robbed of $20,000 via a tech support scam. And while elderly people are absolutely at risk of being targeted by scammers, a recent survey from Avast found that the people most likely to fall for online scams are Millennials, at least in the United States. Surprised? So were we! But there are some very good reasons why this might be…

Your kids know more about the internet than you do

Do you feel like your kids know more about the internet than you do? So does every other parent! But guess what? You know more about life than they do. Here are some great tips from a child psychotherapist on how to navigate this tricky area of parenting.

Protecting the kids in our lives

How to create and manage strong passwords for children

Kids these days have a million passwords. But what they don’t have is the ability to create and remember strong ones — that’s up to the adults in their lives. Here’s how to create and manage strong passwords for kids. 

How to manage your elementary schooler's digital milestones

Having conversations about online safety will never be a one-and-done situation. Like other tricky conversations, parents should be prepared to have conversations about online safety over and over again. So start the conversations early. Ask leading questions. Get interested in their digital lives. Teaching them about privacy, computer security, and social media safety starting at an early age helps create a kid who’s savvy and uses their own critical thinking to make good choices.

7 tips for improving your middle schooler's digital literacy

Middle school brings a lot of transitions, one of which is changes in your child’s online life. Here’s how to help make sure your tween is digitally literate as they move into adolescence. 

Do you know your high schooler's online fluency?

The independence that comes with high school can be really scary! And that includes online independence. But just like you carefully taught them how to drive, you can carefully guide them through being independent online. Here’s how to do it. 

Are you having the right conversations about online safety with your kids?

Online safety is so complicated. How can you even know if you’re having the right conversations about it? Check out these top tips from experts in how to raise savvy, digitally literate kids. 

Every parent wants to protect their children — and every adult “child” wants to protect their parents. And while you can’t control what happens outside of your home, when it comes to the digital world, you have all the tools you need to help ensure everyone stays safe. 

Take our cyber awareness quiz and learn how you can navigate discussions with your family around  the complexities of technology and digital threats. What's more, download our online safety checklist (PDF) for a quick guide to better online safety.