Wayne Caines, the Minister of National Security, brought his mom along to the job to help highlight internet safety for seniors yesterday.

Shurnette Caines, 71, joined her son to talk about how older people can protect themselves online.

Mrs Caines is among the island’s many older residents with a strong online presence, mostly to chat with her family and friends.

She said: “I use it for Facebook and WhatsApp.”

Mrs Caines added she shared pictures and devotional verses and kept tabs on her children.

She said she preferred to leave online payments to her husband.

Mrs Caines said: “I go to the bank and stand in line.”

Mr Caines said seniors will get their own course on internet safety on Tuesday, followed by tips on computer use from high-school pupils.

The course will run from 10am to 2pm at the Anglican Cathedral Hall in Hamilton followed by a half-hour of advice and assistance from volunteer schoolchildren. Lunch will be provided.

Mr Caines said Bermuda has a high level of internet use and “one of the highest percentages of seniors online” in the world.

The fourth annual Safer Internet Day will be marked globally under the slogan “Create, Connect and Share Respect: A better internet starts with you”.

Mr Caines said he had decided to focus on “Bermuda’s ever-growing population of tech- savvy seniors”.

The minister said the free event, provided through the Department of ICT Policy and Innovation, would show seniors “different ways to use technology to their advantage and how to avoid dangers such as online fraud and identity theft”.

The 2018 sponsors include BF&M, Clarien Bank, Barritt’s and the ICT department.

Mr Caines added that the seniors should remember to bring their mobiles along “to learn more about how to make the most of it”.