Minister Berzina stresses need to promote cyber security skills for senior citizens

RIGA - Smart Administration and Regional Development Minister Inga Berzina (New Unity) emphasized the need to promote cyber security skills among seniors at the Seniors' Day event in the parliament.

According to the minister, cyber security risks are only increasing and everyone needs to be able to recognize fake news and calls.

Technology is evolving very fast and has become a part of everyday life, so it is very important to involve seniors in digital skills training, Berzina stressed.

Only 18 percent of 65-74-year-olds in Latvia have basic digital skills, Berzina said, acknowledging that basic digital skills are not high in Latvia as a whole. Only 50 percent of the population in Latvia have such skills.

"Digital skills are not just turning on and off a computer or logging into Facebook, it is the ability to use e-address, to use e-services, which is necessary for everyone to learn," the minister said.

The ministry's target is to reach 80 percent of the Latvian population with digital skills by 2030 through various types of training programs. Such a target is ambitious, Berzina said.