COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The third annual Senior Tech Conference took place on Wednesday, highlighting the importance of bridging the digital divide among older citizens.
The event offered classes and other sessions for people 55 and older. These classes included online banking, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
In 2024, Ohio seniors filed more than 300 scam and fraud complaints, a 22% jump from 2023. Conference founder T.J. Johnson said it’s imperative for those who are most susceptible to learn how to stay safe – especially as technology advances every day.
“They’re targeted and because we know that that is a challenge, we want them to come to the conference and educate them on what those scams look like,” Johnson said. “We have a breakout session called Spotting Deep fakes because a guy is impersonating grandkids and loved ones and we want seniors to be aware of what a deep fake looks like, what it sounds like.”
The conference was in partnership with the Franklin County Office of Aging, with more than 400 seniors from the community taking part.
