Hoping to peruse the web for cheap deals on Black Friday? Before you do, think of your parents!
On November 25, the technology world is challenging people to help out their parents by installing the most up to date versions of web browsers on their computer during “Update your Parents’ Browser Day.”
The initiative was started by The Atlantic in the US in a post that asserts “[t]hese browsers must be upgraded. Do it for the web developers. Do it for the designers. Do it for your parents. On Friday, November 25, every old web browser must go.”
Security company Sophos agrees with the holiday sentiment and writes “If you are wondering why you are doing this, remember it is the time of year for giving. You will be helping to make the internet a better place and help them from getting hit by something nasty” on its Naked Security blog.
Microsoft advises that you should follow these three rules when updating your parent’s browser:
Never check browser historyNever look at the auto-complete answersAlways upload funny Facebook statuses in their open browsersLifehacker also provides some helpful tips on how to switch your parents' web browser without them knowing, including changing the shortcut’s icon, importing their bookmarks and making the user interface look more like their old browser.
Lifehacker suggest that you choose a self-updating browser such as Chrome or Firefox so you don’t have to worry about updating it again.
While you’re providing tech help for your parents you should point them in the direction of Google’s Teach Parents Technology website, where they will find some handy, easy-to-understand public service videos on basic technology, the World Wide Web, communication and media.
