Computers can be 'intimidating'

12:57 31st October 2008

Computers can be intimidating for older people who are often more concerned about fraud and identity theft, according to UK online centres.

The group, which provides people with access to computers and the internet, has suggested that some older users do not even know how to switch a computer on and are afraid of making their computer "explode by pressing the wrong button".

Despite these comments, research conducted by Alliance & Leicester current accounts recently revealed that almost two in five of the over 50s that browse the web book their holidays online and 64 per cent feel confident using internet banking.

Helen Milner, managing director of UK online centres, believes that the web can be an intimidating place.

She said: "If you do not know anything about the Internet or computers, you are probably not aware of what you can do on it, how you can socialise on it, how you can safely spend money on it."

Earlier this week, the BBC reported that an increasing number of teenagers are becoming hackers - though their poor technical skills mean that they are very likely to get caught.