The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security has announced the launch of a digital literacy program targeted at the elderly in response to increasing concerns over their vulnerability to scams.
The initiative follows a revealing study by the Intelligence Center for Elderly Media Literacy (ICEML) at Mahidol University, backed by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth), highlighting the susceptibility of older individuals to online fraud. The research found that a significant portion of the elderly, approximately 70.53%, had been deceived into sharing personal information, while 22.40% were misled into buying low-quality products.
With the elderly making up about 20% of Thailand”s population, a figure that is expected to rise to 30% in the next 20 years, the issue of digital literacy is increasingly pressing.
Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said the program aims to equip the older population with the necessary skills to safely navigate the digital world. In collaboration with ThaiHealth, Mahidol University, and Tammapun Company, the Ministry is now working to implement the specially designed media literacy curriculum in 2,456 schools for Thai seniors across the country.
Echoing Varawut’s sentiment, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuntiya Doungphummes, president of ICEML, added that fostering digital media literacy in the elderly will be key to preventing them from becoming victims of online scams in the future. (NNT)
