Digital money
coaching - Etude
One
Guidance and resource bank
©2016 Citizens Advice
Digital Money Coaching – Etude1/Oct16/v1
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©2016 Citizens Advice
Digital Money Coaching – Etude One/Jan17/v1
Contents
Etude Map
Critical activities
Important activities
Optional activities
Action plan
Etude summary
At the moment, these resources do not contain page numbers. This is a
deliberate decision due to the formatting process used to put together these
resources, but page numbers may be added at a later date.
Advisers should use the Etude map to navigate this resource, or alternatively use
the resources available in the financial skills section of Citizens Advice where they
are deconstructed and available as individual downloads.
©2016 Citizens Advice
Digital Money Coaching – Etude One/Jan17/v1
Etude Map – Etude One
1 – Universal
language of the
internet
2 – Introducing
devices
3 – Introducing
4 – Introducing the
operating systems
cloud
5 – Introducing wifi
6 – Introducing
internet browsers
7 – Introducing
internet search
8 – Introducing online
forms
9 – Introducing apps
10 – Privacy, Adsense
and more
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Jan17/v1
Critical activities
Critical activities are those activities that underpin all the other areas that follow
them. Another way to look at this is that the ‘critical’ areas in this Etude are ones
that clients simply have to understand before they will be in a position to go into
the later activities in this Etude. Many clients will already have some, if not most, of
these skills.
Advisers may find that clients that benefit from these activities will also benefit
from other ‘critical’ activities from other Etudes in the Digital Money Coaching
section of our resources. Advisers can use their own discretion to ‘pick and choose’
whatever activities they fell will help support their individual client.
©2016 Citizens Advice
Digital Money Coaching – Etude One/Jan17/v1
Introducing the universal language of the internet
This a general section to cover terms and ideas about using the internet that are really
useful to know, but don’t really fit in anywhere. It’s really important that you
understand and are familiar with all these points before going any further.
o Blue and underlined text is a link. On websites (and emails) and text that looks
like this is a link to another website, email address or document. They are called
hyperlinks or hotlinks.
o GPS stands for Global Positioning Satellites, which just means that satellites are
used to work out where your device is at any given time). Most smartphones
and tablets have GPS tracking built-in.
o Trolls are people who spend their time on the internet to send hurtful or
malicious messages. They are often anonymous, and ‘trolling’ is a form of
cyber-bullying.
o Apple – This is a large American company that produces hardware and
software. They make the iPad and iPhone, but as they actually started the tablet
and smartphone market, a lot of people make the mistake of calling all tablets
‘iPads’ and all smartphones ‘iPhones’. This is not the case.
o Google – Google is a massive American technology company that makes the
Google app. Again, people often say they will Google something when they are
just looking for it, even when they aren’t using Google. Interesting fact: the
company that was Google is now actually called Alphabet, but the actual search
engine itself is still called the Google app. So few people know this that – for
general discussions at least - we’ll keep calling this company Google.
o To ‘Google something’ means to search for it online. This is because the brand
name and the activity have become interchangeable for most people. In the
same way, people say they are doing the ‘hoovering’ when they mean they are
using a vacuum cleaner (whether or not it is made by Hoover).
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o Algorithm – this is a complicated word for the basic computer code that makes
up a program. Algorithms do specific functions, like searching. Programs like
Microsoft Office do lots of varied complex things and so are made up of tens of
thousands of algorithms. However, the Google app just does one thing (search
the internet) so is made one single complicated algorithm.
o QWERTY – this is the normal type of keyboard we’ve all see. It’s called QWERTY
because the keys on the top left form this word. There are other types of
keyboard, but they’re very uncommon.
o Hardware is the physical device; the bit you can actually physically touch.
o Software is any program on the device and anything you can see on the screen.
o Malware is short for malicious hardware: this means viruses or computer
programs designed to harm your device.
o Spyware is short for spying software: this means any viruses designed to spy on
your activities and steal your information.
o ‘Swipe’ means to touch a touchscreen and move your finger in a particular
direction before lifting it off the screen. This is why people say ’swipe right’ or
‘swipe left’.
o Home screen – this used to just mean the first main page of a website.
However, with tablets and smartphones the term ‘home screen’ now means the
main page of the device. On desktop computers and laptops, this is what
people call the ‘desktop’ screen.
o USB can be used to describe a wire, a device, or a
connection on a device. It all basically means the
same thing: something that look like this. A lot of
memory sticks use USB connections.
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o An SD card is another type of memory storage. As
well as USB-drives (which plug into USB sockets)
an SD card needs to go into an SD slot. SD cards
look like this.
o Flash drives are a pretty new technology when saving data. They look like
normal USB memory cards, but tend to have much higher amounts of storage
for the same cost.
o A ‘firewall’ is a lot like an anti-virus protection program. It is installed on a
computer to help stop it being infected with malware or spyware.
o The smallest unit of memory for a computer is a Kb (Kilobyte). For example,
even a single page document with one word on it is around 20Kb. Next is Mb
(Megabyte), which is around a thousand times larger. A CD holds around
700Mb on it. Finally, we have Gb (Gigabyte), which is around 1000Mb. A DVD
will fit around 7Gb on it, whereas a Blu-Ray disc is around 80Gb. Some
computers and games consoles now get sold with 1Tb (Terabyte) of memory,
which is around 1000Gb.
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Oct16/v1
Introducing devices
A ‘device’ is any piece of technology that can be used to access the internet.
This includes:
•
Desktop computers
•
Smartphones
•
Tablets
•
Laptops
•
Games Consoles
We’ll discuss them one at a time but there are some general things to know too:
•
All these devices often come with cameras. In some cases, they come with two:
one of the front, one on the back.
•
All these devices require access to the internet to go online. This can be by a
wired connection, or via wi-fi (or via their mobile carrier using 3G or 4G, in the
case of smartphones).
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Jan17/v1
Desktop computers
These are the type of online device most of us are most familiar with. A desktop
computer consists of:
•
A screen
•
A mouse
•
A keyboard
•
A tower/external unit
There are a few really important things to understand here.
•
The computer itself is the tower unit that the other bits are all plugged
into. This does all the processing, is the bit that switches on, goes online,
and that actually does all the computing stuff.
•
The keyboard, mouse and screen are all called peripherals. You can
swap them whenever you like and as much as you want; the actual
computer is the large box, and this is the bit that produces what you see
on the screen.
•
You might hear some desktop computers being called PCs, or HPs, or
Dells, or even IBMs. These are all the same thing.
•
An iMac is a desktop computer made by Apple: the screen is actually the
computer, as it contains all the processors and so on that would normally
be found in the tower.
•
Desktop computers can’t go online unless they have access to the
internet (this could be wifi, or by a wired connection).
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Oct16/v1
Smartphones
These are one of the most common types of
online device. They vary in terms of quality and
processing power, but there are a few
fundamental features they all have:
•
Smartphones tend to have touchscreens.
•
Smartphones can also be used as sat navs, MP3 players or for surfing the
internet: they’re basically small computers but with less power.
•
Smartphones do not actually need a SIM card to work. The SIM is used
exclusively to make calls and send texts.
•
Smartphones use apps. There is more information on apps later in introducing
apps.
•
There are two bits to a smartphones functionality. The bit which uses the SIM is
the part that works as a phone: it makes calls and sends texts. The other part of
the phone uses Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G: this is the bit that does all the other online stuff
that smartphones do.
•
People will often talk about things like 3G and 4G when talking about their
phone signal. Don’t be anxious about this: the ‘G’ only means ‘Generation’ and
refers to the generation of the technology it uses. 3G is quite common now, but
4G allows the user to do more with their device because it means it’s more
advanced. In fact, 5G is now starting to be released.
•
For most smartphones being used with SIM cards, using the 3G or 4G signal
means that this comes out of the data usage of the owners account. Once the
data allowance in their account has been exceeded, this can then start to get
really expensive. However, using Wi-Fi signal instead of a 3G/4G signal is always
free.
•
An iPhone is a type of smartphone, made by Apple. In the same way, the Pixel
smartphone is made exclusively by Google.
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Tablets
These are very popular, especially with younger people. Generally speaking:
•
They are flat touchscreens.
•
They come in various sizes from 5-13”.
•
They all require the internet to work. Very few tablets have any off-line
functionality at all.
•
They use apps (see introducing apps)
•
They are intended to be used primarily as surfing devices: they cannot do
complex or demanding tasks like a desktop computer can.
•
They are often cloud-accelerated (see introducing the cloud)
•
They are made by many different manufacturers.
The iPad is made by Apple, and was the first tablet ever released on the market. A
common mistake people make is calling a tablet an iPad, even if it isn’t an iPad and is
actually made by some other manufacturer.
Kindle tablets are made by Amazon, and are very popular.
Nexus tablets are made by Samsung, but are basically the ‘official’ Google tablet.
Otherwise, a whole host of manufacturers make tablets. There’s more information on
this when discussing operating systems (introducing operating systems)
©2016 Citizens Advice
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Laptops
Many of us are familiar with laptops, but it is important to be aware that laptops are
now changing. They are often:
•
Touchscreen.
•
Tablet-laptop hybrids, which means they are either tablets that click into
a detachable keyboard, or can be folded back to be used as a tablet.
Dedicated laptops (laptops that have no
touchscreen functionality, etc) are now older
and less common than they were.
Laptops can be used as desktops quite easily:
they can be plugged into a screen, mouse
and keyboard, meaning that you can actually
use it in a way that is indistinguishable from a
normal computer.
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Games consoles
Most people underestimate the digital access a games console allows. Most games
consoles are at least as powerful as a good desktop computer, and will have online
functionality.
Games consoles that plug into an external screen like the Wii, Playstation or Xbox all
allow users to:
•
Plug in a keyboard and mouse
•
Access Youtube
•
Access TV channels via iPlayer and similar apps
•
Access the internet via a browser (see introducing internet browsers)
Also, an Xbox One runs on Windows 10, meaning that the Microsoft Office suite
(Word, Excel and Outlook) will soon be available to use on the console. That basically
makes it the equivalent of a desktop computer.
Games consoles that are ‘handheld’ such as the Playstation Vita, Nintendo 3DS or Wii
U all allow users to:
•
Use a touchscreen
•
Access the internet (via a browser) inside the home using wi-fi.
•
Access the internet (via a browser) outside the home using 3G signal.
A lot of people are under the impression that
games consoles have child-safety locks in
place, so that they can’t be used to look at
inappropriate material. This is not true: as
default, all games consoles are set to adult
settings, and you actually have to go into a
menu and activate them yourself.
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Oct16/v1
Introducing operating systems
Operating systems are often called OS. An operating system is the way a user
interacts with any device. It’s the software that we see at the normal home screen of
any device. Everything we do on a device; go on the internet, listen to music, or play
games, happens within this operating system.
The reason this is important is that there are four major operating systems used in
most devices, and they are all totally separate. You can’t use things from one OS in
another; they are completely separate and different.
A comparison
Think about it like the difference between using vinyl records, CDs or MP3. You can’t
put a CD in a record player, and you can’t put a vinyl record in a CD-player.
In the same way that some music is released on both vinyl and CD, some apps might
be released for all the OS. Then again, some music is only released on one format and
some apps are only released on one OS.
Some people prefer vinyl to CD, or CD to MP3. There is no right or wrong to this: it’s
just a matter of taste. In the same way, some people prefer one type of OS on their
devices than another.
Each of the four types works in a different way.
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Windows
This is made by Microsoft and is the one most people are familiar with. There have
been many versions over the years: Windows is now on version 10.
•
New versions of Windows (like Windows 95, XP and Vista) used to charge
consumers for being installed. Microsoft are no longer going to do this: once
you have Windows 10, you have free updates, upgrades and new versions for
life.
•
Windows 10 was a free upgrade for anyone that had Windows 7, RT, 8 or 8.1
until July 2016.
•
Windows 10 is planned as the last Windows OS that will ever be sold. In the
future, Windows 10 will just be updated, forever, at no cost.
•
This version 10 is now the exact same operating system used on every windows
device. That means that a windows phone, tablet, laptop, computer or even
games console will run Windows 10.
•
Xbox One (which is made by Windows) runs Windows 10. This means that an
Xbox will be able to run things like Microsoft office (Word, excel, etc). In the
same way, so can Windows phones (this is the Nokia Lumia range).
Windows is not a very popular OS for use on devices like smartphones or tablets, but
is still one of the worlds’ most popular desktop and laptop OS’.
This is the Windows 10
desktop (home page)
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DMC Etude1/Oct16/v1
Android
Most people don’t realise that Android is made by Google.
Remember, Android and Chrome are two completely separate things. Android is the
Operating System, and Chrome is the browser that runs in the operating system.
There is more information on browsers in introducing internet browsers.
Android is one of the most popular OS in the world when it comes to smartphones
and tablets. This is because Google have made it available as open-source, so that
any company can use it and modify it for their devices, without having to pay
anything.
Official Android is run by Google, and has lots of weird and wonderful names for
different versions. The theme is basically to name it after sweets (It is currently on an
Android version called Nougat).
Lots of other companies use Android in their phones and tablets, but modify it. For
example, Tesco used Android in their (now-discontinued) Hudl tablet, and Amazon
use a heavily-modified version of Android in their Kindle Fire. This is why they look so
different, even though they use the same OS!
A modified Android tablet on the left (the Amazon Kindle)
and a standard Android tablet on the right (the Tesco Hudl)
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Apple OS
There are two types of Apple Operating System.
The OS they use on their laptops and iMacs (the Apple desktop) is called macOS (it
used to be called OSX). This has been updated lots over the years, but each new
version always used to be named after a large cat (so things like Jaguar, Tiger and
Snow Leopard). Apple have more recently moved away from this; the most recent
version of macOS is called Sierra, and was released on 20/09/16.
The updates to macOS are free, and always will be.
The other type of Apple Operating System is the one they use on their tablets and
smartphones. This is called iOS, and is currently on version 9.2.
iOS is also free to update, and always will be. However, there has been some negative
publicity of iOS as it often causes older models of iPhones and iPads to cease working
if they can no longer handle the hardware requirements for the iOS upgrade. This
pushes consumers to buy new hardware, which can very expensive.
This is the macOS
desktop (similar to iOS)
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Blackberry 10
This OS is made by Blackberry and is used exclusively for Blackberry phones.
Blackberry phones are not very popular, so it is unlikely your client will have one of
these.
Blackberry phones are split between the types that have a physical keyboard, and
ones that look more like regular smartphones. Blackberry 10 is used for both of these.
The OS is quite similar to an Android OS, although is still significantly less popular.
Blackberry 10 looks a
bit like Android;
remember this is only
for Blackberry phones.
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Oct16/v1
Games consoles and other devices
As mentioned in introducing devices, clients will be able to access the internet via
their games consoles and a variety of other devices. These all tend to have their own
unique OS.
For example, Sony Playstation-related devices use an OS called the XMB: this is
applicable for use in the home via a television screen, or use out and about in public
using a handheld device.
Don’t worry about what these different OS are: the important thing to remember is
that, although the OS, browser and search engine is unfamiliar, the same general
principles we will cover in training still apply to these devices.
This is Sony’s Playstation
XMB. It applies to all
their consoles and even
some of their phones.
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Important activities
Important activities are those activities that build on the critical activities that
precede them, and form the core of most clients activities in this topic. Another
way to look at this is that the ‘important’ areas in this Etude are ones that clients
are likely to use most often, and are the most common digital areas used for
financial capability in this topic.
Advisers may find that clients that benefit from these activities will also benefit
from other ‘important’ activities from other Etudes in the Digital Money Coaching
section of our resources. Advisers can use their own discretion to ‘pick and choose’
whatever activities they fell will help support their individual client.
©2016 Citizens Advice
Digital Money Coaching – Etude One/Jan17/v1
Introducing the Cloud
‘The Cloud’ is a term many people use often, but not very many of them understand
what it refers to.
Documents are often said to be in the Cloud, as are pictures, songs and any other
type of data file. In addition, things are said to be stored in the Cloud, and certain
software and hardware uses ‘Cloud-acceleration’. However, talking like this only
strengthens the idea that the Cloud is some mysterious piece of technology. It also
gives people the impression that the Cloud is somehow ‘up there’, and is not a
physical thing.
This is not the case.
The Cloud is a term used for any kind of off-site processing or storage. Basically, large
companies like Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Facebook own huge server farms in
remote places. These server farms are massive, and incredibly advanced: servers are
basically really powerful computers that form the building blocks of what we call the
internet.
Let’s look at an example; the Amazon server farms are in:
•
Northern Virginia
•
Northern California
•
Oregon
•
São Paulo
•
Ireland
•
Germany
•
Singapore
•
Tokyo
•
Seoul
•
Beijing
•
Sydney
Each of these server farms is massive (the size of several footballs fields), containing
incredible amounts of processing power. This is where information is stored when we
say it’s ‘in the Cloud’. The same applies to the huge server farms owned by other
major technology companies.
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Using the Cloud is essential when someone uses the internet. The Cloud allows
people to upload and download data that their hardware simply would not be able to
handle otherwise. Tablets and smartphones only have relatively small storage; the
only way we can use them to capture so many images and videos is by backing
everything up on the Cloud, which is another way of saying we back-up our data on
these physical server farms that are often thousands of miles away.
Cloud-storage
This is when we store data on these remote server farms.
Cloud-hosted
This is when a website or program uses one of these server farms to provide their
processing power. Lots of websites and programs use this, because it means a small
company can start up and rent processing power from the Cloud instead of having to
spend millions on their own servers.
Cloud-accelerated
This is when a program uses the Cloud, which remember is just another word for
hardware that is far away, to help it run faster and better. For example, if you are
using a tablet like a Kindle Fire, the browser is cloud-accelerated. You can search for
something, and this request is actually sent to the ‘Cloud’. The searching and
processing is done here, and then beamed back to the tablet. In this way, the tablet
serves as just a screen for the processing that is actually being done in the Cloud. This
sounds great, but means that without internet access some programs that don’t seem
to need the internet still run extremely slowly.
Security
Using the Cloud means that your data is stored externally by a third party. This
includes every website you visit, every picture you post, and every internet search you
input. Nothing, literally nothing, you can do can delete this information.
This is how the police are able to access people’s mobile phone and internet data for
use in any court action, as this data is stored externally whether or not people delete
it or even destroy the device it was linked to.
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Oct16/v1
Introducing Wi-Fi
‘Wi-Fi’ is a branding term, like Google. It actually stands for Wireless Fidelity, which
doesn’t mean anything really.
Essentially Wi-Fi is wireless internet (it is always broadband, as you simply can’t get
wireless dial-up internet). Let’s look at what this means.
Dial-up internet – this uses a phone line and was largely how internet in the 1990’s
worked. It was very slow, unreliable and often charged by the minute. Few clients will
use this, but those in extremely rural areas may have no alternative.
Broadband internet – this is the most common kind of internet. Although it uses a
phone line, it does not stop someone using a phone at the same time as the internet.
There are varying speeds for this, but even the cheapest packages (10-20 Mb) are still
pretty good.
Router – this is a physical device that the internet provider will install in your house. It
is plugged into a power supply, and also the phone line. This then produces a wireless
signal that devices can tap into.
Wi-Fi – This is the wireless signal produced by the router that allows devices to
connect to it. Once connected to this, devices can then access the internet.
Don’t get confused: Wi-Fi is not Bluetooth!
Wi-fi and Bluetooth is not the same thing at all. Bluetooth is a bit like a radio signal,
like you might use for a radio-controlled car. Imagine Bluetooth as an alternative way
of getting some devices to connect, without using wires. For example, a phone’s
hands-free can connect via a wire, or you can use a Bluetooth one. It’s the same with
headphones to listen to music; you can use one with a wire, or a wireless Bluetooth
one.
•
Bluetooth is not expensive: in fact it doesn’t cost anything.
•
Most modern devices have Bluetooth transmitters and recievers built-in as
standard.
•
Bluetooth devices have a very limited range; normally you can’t have the
devices more than a dozen feet apart.
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Other key points about Wi-Fi –
•
There are several different types of Wi-Fi: WEP,WPA, WPA2 etc. Don’t worry
about this.
•
Wi-Fi is always slower and less secure than a physical connection
•
A device has to be designed to use wireless: if it doesn’t have the right
hardware, it won’t be able to pick up a wireless signal. All devices made in the
last five years or so will have this, but older ones may not.
Lots of places have free public Wi-Fi (this is the symbol for it):
remember that these networks are unsecure, and therefore there
are significant risks in using them if your device is not fully updated.
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Oct16/v1
Introducing internet browsers
It is important to realise that browsers are very different to Operating Systems. Many
people get these two things mixed up, and it is important to know the difference.
We already discussed OS in detail in introducing operating systems. Now we need
to understand:
•
An OS allows a device to run different programs.
•
A browser is a specific program designed to allow someone to access the
internet.
•
There are lots of different browsers available.
•
A browser is not the same as a search engine (see introducing internet
search engines)
•
Browsers are all generally as secure as each other: it’s just important to keep
them up-to-date.
Common browsers are:
•
Safari, made by Apple and used on their devices.
•
Internet Explorer, made by Microsoft.
•
Microsoft Edge, the replacement for Internet Explorer.
•
Silk, used on Amazon Kindle tablets and based on Chrome.
•
Firefox, sometimes called Mozilla Firefox.
•
Opera.
•
Chrome, which is made by Google.
Remember, these are programs you open up to view webpages. They are not the
same as search engines, which we’ll look at next. This is one of the most common
things that confuses people, so
make sure you do understand it.
Left to Right: Chrome, Opera,
Firefox, Safari, Internet
Explorer
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Introducing internet search engines
It is important to realise that search engines are very different to browsers. Many
people get these two things mixed up, and it is important that advisers and volunteers
know the difference.
We already discussed browsers in introducing internet browsers. Common search
engines are:
•
Bing, which is made by Microsoft
•
Google, which is made by Google
•
Yahoo
Remember, these are not linked to Operating Systems or browsers. We’ve all used the
Google search engine on an Internet Explorer browser, for example. Note that the Silk
browser on Amazon Kindle tablets always uses Google, because Silk is based on
Google’s Chrome browser.
Another important point to know: Apple don’t make their own search engine, just the
Safari browser.
Remember that there are lots
of search engines with
popularity that varies across
the world.
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Introducing online forms
Online forms are a really commonplace feature of the internet. Most websites will
have them. They work in two ways:
Drop-down menus
This is when you click the open field, and a menu appears which allows you to select
an option. You can navigate through this menu with a mouse, or touchscreen, and
select the one you want.
Virtual keyboard
When you click an open field, a virtual keyboard will appear on the touchscreen of
your device. This will normally be in the standard QWERTY layout, but is sometimes in
a straightforward alphabetical order.
You can use your fingers to type on this keyboard, but be aware that predictive text
will try to autocomplete your words, and this can sometimes lead to mistakes.
Back and Forth
Most online forms are spread over several pages. This means that you fill in a bit, and
then you click a forward arrow onto the next page. Websites do this to make the form
seem less long and intimidating.
These forms will always have a back
button on the site itself that lets you go
back to previous pages.
Don’t get this confused with the back arrow of your browser, as this will actually take
you back from the form itself. This can sound quite complicated, so it’s important that
you understand it clearly.
It’s to do with the ‘tiers’ of the technology we’re using. Let’s look at an example of this,
so that we can see what this means.
Example
I’m on my laptop
>I’m using a Windows Operating System
>I open up the Chrome Browser
>I find a website using the Google search engine
>On this website I fill in a form. I fill in some details, and
need to toggle back and forth within the form to make some
corrections.
If I click the back and forth arrows on the
website, I’ll still be in this part of my
journey. I’m doing something in that tier.
However, if I start clicking the back and
forward buttons on the browser, I will
be changing everything below that tier.
In the same way, if I switch the
laptop on and off, I’ll be affecting
everything under that level. In
other words, I’m, getting rid of
everything!
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Jan17/v1
Optional activities
Optional activities are those activities that form the final goals that advisers should
aim for clients for reach. Another way to look at this is that the ‘optional’ areas in
this Etude are non-essential and aspirational for clients. If they can eventually get
to the point that they can access these digital services and activities, they should –
by definition – also have become confident with the all the preceding ‘critical’ and
‘important’ skills in this Etude.
Advisers may find that clients that benefit from these activities will also benefit
from other ‘optional’ activities from other Etudes in the Digital Money Coaching
section of our resources. Advisers can use their own discretion to ‘pick and choose’
whatever activities they fell will help support their individual client.
©2016 Citizens Advice
Digital Money Coaching – Etude One/Jan17/v1
Introducing apps
‘Apps’ is a word that is short for ‘applications’ which first became popular on Apple
devices.
An application is basically a fancy word for a program. However, whereas we use the
word ‘program’ with desktops and laptops, we use the word ‘apps’ with smartphones
and tablets. There is no real difference between the two though.
One thing to keep in mind is that now that Windows 10 is an OS that works on all
types of devices, it has started to call its desktop programs ‘apps’ as well.
Downloading an app is very simple; every device will have an ‘app store’ button that
you click on to access the list of apps available.
Apps and OS’
In introducing operating systems, we had a brief overview of how people need to
pick which OS they want. There’s no right or wrong for this, and it comes down to
personal choice based on several factors. Well, one of the main factors is the
availability of apps on that OS.
Apple apps – the Apple app store is well-regarded and well-stocked. Apple quality
checks every app on there to make sure that they meet certain standards of quality
and decency.
Android apps – the Android app store (remember, this is the one that Amazon Kindle
tablets use too) is absolutely massive. However, there is absolutely no filter on any of
these: literally anyone can make an app and stick it on there, whether it’s good or bad.
This means that quite a few of them will contain malware or spyware.
Windows apps – the Windows app is much smaller than any other app store. The
apps are normally quality-checked, but they are pretty sparse.
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Jan17/v1
General tips:
•
As a general rule, apps will come out on Android or Apple long before they
come out on Windows. This is just because there are many more Android and
Apple users, so it makes sense for developers to target those platforms first. In
fact, it’s not uncommon for apps to never come out on Windows at all.
•
Apps vary in price; there are many free ones, but other ones charge to
download.
•
Even free apps have in-app purchasing; this means that whilst you’re actually
using an app, there is the possibility of spending money to buy a particular
feature. A common example of this is when younger people spend lots of
money to buy characters or costumes for a gaming app that they like to play.
They often don’t even realise that this costs real money, as the purchasing
process is so quick and simple.
•
A lot of apps require you give up different elements of your personal details.
Apps often ask for things like access to GPS or browsing history. You don’t have
to agree, but some apps don’t work without them.
•
Apps need updating just like any other software.
•
Apps are small programs and so tend to use cloud-storage or cloudacceleration a great deal.
•
Apps come in all shapes and sizes, there are gambling ones, educational ones,
gaming ones, and practical ones. There is literally an app for everything.
When you go into an app store,
it (normally) looks a bit like.
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Oct16/v1
Privacy, Adsense and more
The internet has become a strange and wonderful place over time. One of the big
things that has changed, often without people realising, is the nature of information
sharing.
It’s important to remember that the internet is largely controlled and powered by a
handful of large corporations. These are household names, like Microsoft, Google and
Facebook. However, this shouldn’t be something to worry clients with; rather, it is to
understand that there are a lot of profit-making companies providing internet
services. This leads to the question: what do they get out of it?
So why do Google have Google?
The Google search engine is a very good example of this. Google offer their search
engine for free, but they make money from it in two ways.
•
They advertise specific websites at
the top of any Google searches that you
might make. These ‘sponsored links’ pay
Google for the chance to be the top search
people come up with.
•
They keep a record of what you search for, look at, and click on. This is part of
Google AdSense, and is a like a much bigger, deeper version of the way Amazon
recommend products to you based on products you’ve previously bought.
This means that when you go to other websites, they can then tailor the ads that popup on the top or side of the webpage to your own interests.
Some people find this is a bit of an invasion of their online privacy, whilst others find it
really useful. There is no right or wrong to this: it just comes down to personal
preference.
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Jan17/v1
And it happens everywhere
It’s important to realise that this happens everywhere and from everyone. Facebook
does something called ‘data-mining’ which means running every single bit of
information it has on your account through an algorithm to work out what sort of
things they are likely to be able to sell you. This is quite clever: Facebook will put
together facts such as:
•
You have mentioned you like to travel
•
You haven’t posted any pictures of your recent holiday
to then direct you to adverts that try to sell you a digital camera.
In the same way, if you have a Gmail account Google will search through the words in
your messages to work out what ads to show you. If you mention appointments to
hair salons, or different hairstyles you’re thinking of, don’t be surprised to see online
adverts for hair-straighteners appearing by the side of common websites you visit.
What does this mean for clients?
Clients can be really deterred by this shared and interconnected nature of the
internet. Highlight the positives for clients; it means that their data cannot be lost, and
that their experience of the internet will become an increasingly tailored and unique
experience that is suited to them.
Some people are extremely wary of this facet of digital technology; they may wish to
live without a digital footprint. If they do, this means making some quite fundamental
changes to their life to ensure they have as small an impact on datasystems as
possible. However, even those who avoid using the internet, and have no online
services or access, will still be on the government databases for things like passports
and driving licenses which are all also interconnected.
It’s a difficult area to discuss: if you’re interested in learning more, there are hundreds
of articles online about information privacy.
©2016 Citizens Advice
DMC Etude1/Oct16/v1
Action plan
The following action plan is, broadly speaking, related to this specific Etude.
Advisers can use this action plan if they wish, but are not obliged to. Similarly, if
they want to make their own action plan instead, they are welcome to do this.
Action plans should be tailored to reflect the client’s needs; in the attached
example, this can be as simple as circling those actions that are agreed as realistic,
and crossing out those actions which are considered inappropriate or
unnecessary.
Clients should be encouraged to also think about further areas they want to
discuss - this can guide further sessions.
©2016 Citizens Advice
Digital Money Coaching – Etude One/Jan17/v1
Action plan
Etude one
By the next session, I will:
Have switched on an online device
Connected to Wifi
Gone on any website
Filled an online form
Looked at the app store on any device
Other things I’m interested to learn about:
©2016 Citizens Advice
Digital Money Coaching – Etude One/Jan17/v1
Etude summary
Who this pack is for
Financial capability trainers and both specialist and generalist advisors/volunteers.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to David Mahon and Wendy McShane. Their expertise and guidance was
invaluable.
Updates
The financial capability resource library is a live, evolving ecosystem of resources.
The digital area is one of the most rapidly-changing areas: as such these Digital
Money Coaching resources for financial capability will be subject to regular
reviews to ensure that updates and new resources are introduced regularly.
Feedback
We’d be happy to get your feedback on this training, and in fact on any of the
financial capability resources. You can email us at
[email protected]
Copyright
Copyright © 2016 Citizens Advice. All rights reserved. Any reproduction of part or
all of the contents in any form is prohibited except with the express written
permission of Citizens Advice.
Company information
Citizens Advice is an operating name of the National Association of Citizens Advice
Bureaux, Charity registration number 279057, VAT number 726020276, Company
Limited by Guarantee, Registered number 1436945 England. Registered office:
Citizens Advice, 3rd Floor North, 200 Aldersgate Street, London, EC1A 4HD.
©2016 Citizens Advice
Digital Money Coaching – Etude One/Jan17/v1