A career in software engineering management made UMRA member Frank Preese the perfect discussion leader for the April 16 UMRA breakfast meeting on keeping up with technology. Opening the conversation with humor and transparency, he began by admitting that he has many devices around the house and is “addicted to AI.” 

When invited to introduce themselves and to share their experiences and concerns with using technology, attendees said they were there to listen and to learn how to make technology work better for them—to keep up with grandchildren and avoid scams, among other things. 

“You are the chief information officer of you and your family, a job you never applied for. A daunting responsibility,” Frank said to everyone in his opening remarks. “For all of us, tech is now a part of everyday life. How we access and manage finances, health care, communication; how we plan and organize our days, research and plan travel, and relax with a good movie or TV series.”

He also shared a secret: “Platforms are not your friends. Their goal is to keep you connected to them, and to benefit monetarily from your subscription and your information.”

Frank Preese, the resource person for the discussion on keeping up with technology, shared the outline for the April breakfast meeting he prepared. The 7-page document includes a security checklist and specific suggestions for how to use technology wisely and safely.

The discussion touched on AI, passwords and passkeys, good computer hygiene, managing personal finance and legacy information, data storage and protection, privacy and permission management, and adaptive technologies. 

One somewhat amusing recommendation from Frank: Try CCleaner (aka Crap Cleaner), software that helps to speed up sluggish computers and improve privacy by deleting "junk" files.

Wonderful tools

We heard that artificial intelligence can be a wonderful tool for understanding medical information. However, Frank advised using multiple versions of AI (ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, for example), and then comparing the information to sift out what is accurate and what is not. 

Remembering passwords led to a robust conversation. One attendee asked about the value of having a different password for every organization you belong to, eliciting the answer: “It’s a numbers game. A hacker will try other favorite websites to see if your password works there, too.” The advice included using a password manager or replacing passwords with a passkey (fingerprint or face scan).

Another example of a wonderful tool: smart eyeglasses. One attendee with low vision wears Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses that can read signage and tell users what is in front of them.  And, we were reminded that today’s cars are now navigation devices.

In the general advice category, good computer hygiene was noted. For example, use one browser for general surfing and a different browser for personal activities. 

Also, avoid using public Wi-Fi to log into a bank or email account. If  you’re doing something sensitive in a public place, use cellular data, not Wi-Fi.

We ended with an especially important question to consider: Who has the keys to your digital life if you’re not here? You should designate a “legacy contact” who can manage and download your account data in an emergency—and let them know!

—Diane Young, UMRA president