As it turns out, it takes a little more than raising a generation with computers to teach them how to be tech literate. In addition to raising them with computers, you also have to not coddle your userbase. A whole generation raised on limewire and installing programs from random websites, learning that softonic is synonymous with virus, and how to read the extension of a file name to make sure it is a music file and not an executable (Despacito.mp4.exe would run as an executable, not play "Despacito") and that certain files should have a certain file size and you can even predict without doing any math, just pure experience of seeing what file sizes normally are about what size a video or audio file of certain quality (1080p? 720p?) and length should be and if its too large, its probably a virus (or its one of those cool files where you change the extension of an image file and it has a song in it when changed to mp3) Again, looking at extensions (and file hashes) helps here.
So what does gen Z have instead? The Apple/Google play store generation
Oh the google play store. The place where you can install anything and you know its going to be safe (except for when it isn't: 36 Malicious Android Apps Found on Google Play, Did You Install Them? but of course that's just silly old android and silly old android problems.
Everyone knows Apple is so much better. How 18 Malware Apps Snuck Into Apple's App Store
Nonetheless, perception is reality and the feeling that the app store is safe is enough for people to let their guards down. The deeper problem though, is that this paternalism, keeps freedom away and free market competition at bay. Apple Rejects Bitcoin Wallet Zeus a Day After Threatening to Delist Damus
But hey, maybe we're just talking about a generation that doesn't have experience with taxes so they don't know the IRS doesn't call your personal number. Maybe this generation is just in the hardening phase. Maybe this is where they learn all of their lessons and when they're older these statistics will look much different....I'm holding out hope, because its that same process, being exposed to scams and learning from them, that will enable this generation and the ones that come after them, to use Bitcoin without being scammed too.
Totally agree that zoomers are coddled.
That said there are some really great zoomers out there that are bucking the trend. I've had some great experiences coaching zoomers in sports (very physically demanding sports at that). There are zoomers that do realize the entire edifice they're in is bullshit and strive to self improve think critically and work hard. They've been completely failed by the neoliberal order that controls everything. It's not their fault.
I personally can't write them off just yet. I choose to be patient and try to make a small difference one person at a time.
reply
As a boomer I think it's just experience. When you reach a certain age you can smell a scam. That doesn't mean we don't need our grandchildren to help figure out our new smart TV. Gen zers also explore more online, so are more likely to run into a scam.
reply
Sadly gen z are all to eager to go all in before looking at the pitfalls or researching were exactly they are sending their funds. To them easy come easy go is becoming a philosophy, but they will learn eventually 🀣
reply
Wisdom comes from failing for a long enough time to develop generalized rules to keep yourself safe
reply
In order to be great, you have to fail greatly too
reply
I do think zoomers have more trust in tech because they grew up with it, its the norm, along with having a lack of experience, but I also think one that the number of scams, ways to scam and reach of scams these days are much higher than ever before
Its not as if boomers weren't failing for junk mail scams in their youth
reply
I teach college for a living and the number of students who can't even find a file they just downloaded is shocking.... and don't even get started on students who don't know what a file extension is...
reply
Scams are afoot! I got scammed as well in this space
You name it I got scammed doing it
Cloud mining Yield bucket shops Shitcoins that went to zero
It sucks because I lose more bitcoin than the average pleb falling for these scams but to me it’s a sign of maturity. As time goes on trust will build and the scammers will have a harder time
reply
Millennials never purchased any software, we just crack them using keygens. So we are very good at troubleshooting the issue than GenZ's installing an App to solve a problem.
reply
Digital INsecurity is multiplied by "But hey, I've installed avast, so I'm secure from viruses, right?", "I have nothing to hide cause I'm nobody" while using freakin windows 7 and launching apps with admin privilege when asked, not mentioning internet risks.
reply
XD Well you know the people who had avast installed and suddenly had a different default web browser and video ads on their desktop know better than that.
reply
double clicks on Despacito.mp4.exe and rocks out πŸ˜‚
reply
The greed to get rich quick causes it
reply
99% true
reply
Well of course any generalization about a large group of people will be wrong when you look at individual by individual.
reply
Maybe belongs in ~tech instead?
reply
Maybe but I was actually looking at this in terms of how it relates to Bitcoin. The old "send me one and I'll send you two" scam, shitcoin scams, even romance scams are all going to apply. Learning how to not send your Bitcoin to scammers and being tech literate applies to Bitcoin. People worry about Bitcoin from time to time because they worry people aren't tech savvy enough to use it.
My response to this has been "The generation that grows up with it will figure it out to the point of it being second nature", but evidence that points to the opposite is something to give me pause. Nonetheless, if we can learn from failure, maybe we can figure out how to raise a generation that knows how to protect themselves. Afterall, this isn't a generation raised by tech savvy parents and maybe that's the missing ingredient to skipping the learning curve.
reply
Fair. I know you tied it into bitcoin. I just wanted to give you a heads up if you made a mistake.
reply