Tartanleaf

Tech for Seniors: Complete Sources and Notes

These complete chapter-by-chapter sources and notes accompany Smart Tech for Real People: Tech for Seniors by Greg Weir. They identify the official guidance behind statements where a rule, product behaviour, safety limit or recovery route matters.

The list was prepared for the September 2026 edition. Technology changes, and an official page may move or be revised. Use the named organisation’s current official guidance when you need to act. The printed book includes a shorter list of principal authorities so its essential guidance does not depend on this page.

Chapter 1: The Machine Is Not Smarter Than You

  • Apple. “Use display and text size preferences on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.” (support.apple.com) Published May 19, 2026. This page explains larger text, bold text, contrast, colour and other display adjustments. The available choices depend on the device and operating-system version.
  • Google Android Accessibility Help. “Android accessibility overview.” (support.google.com) This overview brings together display size, magnification, screen reading, voice control, captions and hearing features. Some features require a particular Android version, device or additional app.

Chapter 2: Your Phone, Tablet, or Computer: The Screen That Runs Your Day

  • Google Android Help. “Change what’s on your Home screen on Android.” (support.google.com) Google explains the Home screen, favourite apps and common ways to reach or arrange apps, while noting that steps vary by device.
  • Microsoft. “Customize the Taskbar in Windows.” (support.microsoft.com) This guide identifies Start, Search, applications, notifications and the system tray, and explains which taskbar choices can be adjusted. Windows 10 and Windows 11 do not present every control in the same way.

Chapter 3: Calling, Texting, and Keeping in Touch

Chapter 4: Email with Confidence

  • Google Gmail Help. “Avoid and report phishing emails.” (support.google.com) This guidance explains phishing warnings and safer ways to check an unexpected request. A familiar name or logo is not enough to establish that a message is genuine.
  • Microsoft. “Open, save, and edit attachments received in Outlook.” (support.microsoft.com) Microsoft identifies attachment controls, blocked file types and differences among Outlook versions. It also advises confirming an unexpected attachment with the sender through a trusted route.

Chapter 5: Passwords — Your Keys to the Digital World

  • National Institute of Standards and Technology. “Authenticator and Verifier Requirements.” (pages.nist.gov) Part of NIST Special Publication 800-63B-4, published July 2025. This is the technical basis for emphasising password length, allowing password managers and avoiding arbitrary composition rules or routine password changes when there is no evidence of compromise.
  • Apple. “Use passkeys to sign in to websites and apps on iPhone.” (support.apple.com) Apple’s iPhone guide explains where supported passkeys are stored, how they are unlocked and why the exact creation and sign-in steps vary by website, app and browser.
  • Microsoft. “How to get a Microsoft account recovery code.” (support.microsoft.com) Microsoft explains what its recovery code is, how a new code replaces the previous one and why it should be stored somewhere other than the device it is meant to help recover.
  • Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. “Cyber security considerations for passkeys (ITSAP.30.033).” (cyber.gc.ca) Modified April 21, 2026. This Canadian guidance explains the public/private-key model, phishing resistance, device and implementation limits, fallback risk and the continuing value of multi-factor authentication where passkeys are unavailable.

Chapter 6: The Internet — Finding Your Way

  • Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. “Search engine optimization poisoning (ITSAP.00.013).” (cyber.gc.ca) Modified April 15, 2025. This Canadian guidance explains why a high search result is not proof that a site is legitimate and recommends checking the address or using a known official route.
  • Canada Revenue Agency. “Recognize a scam.” (canada.ca) The CRA shows how convincing look-alike sites and messages can be, identifies official Canadian government address patterns and recommends navigating independently when a message is uncertain.

Chapter 7: Video Calls — Seeing and Hearing Each Other

Chapter 8: Social Media — Choosing How You Participate

  • Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. “Your privacy and social media.” (priv.gc.ca) Modified September 15, 2025. This Canadian guidance covers privacy settings, location, the lasting effects of posting and consent before sharing another person’s information.
  • Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. “Loss of control of social media channels.” (cyber.gc.ca) Modified December 1, 2023. This recovery guide covers provider reporting, account recovery, connected devices and apps, changed settings, contact warnings and protection of the email account used for recovery.

Chapter 9: Money Online — Banking and Paying with Care

Chapter 10: Scams and Spam — Pause, Check, Protect

  • Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. “Bank investigator.” (antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca) Modified January 15, 2026. This page describes impersonation calls involving caller-ID spoofing, verification codes, remote access, card collection and transfers to supposed safe accounts. Its practical lesson is to end the call and verify through a route obtained independently.
  • Canada Revenue Agency. “Recognize a scam.” (canada.ca) The CRA describes the ways it may contact people, requests it does not make and the importance of checking an unexpected claim through an official route rather than through the message or caller.
  • Service Canada. “Social Insurance Number fraud and data breach.” (canada.ca) This Canadian route explains actions to consider after SIN exposure or suspected misuse, including monitoring records, contacting affected organisations and reporting the event. The appropriate response depends on what information was exposed and how it was used.
  • U.S. Federal Trade Commission. “What To Do if You Were Scammed.” (consumer.ftc.gov) Published July 2022. The FTC separates the first response by what happened: payment, credential disclosure, personal-information disclosure, remote computer access or loss of control of a mobile number.
  • U.S. Federal Trade Commission. IdentityTheft.gov. (identitytheft.gov) This interactive U.S. government service provides a recovery route for lost, stolen or misused identity information. The questions and recommended actions depend on the reader’s situation.

Chapter 11: Privacy Basics — Your Business Is Your Business

  • Apple. “Control what you share on iPhone.” (support.apple.com) Apple explains how to review access to location, camera, microphone, contacts and photos. Permission choices are feature-specific and can be changed later.
  • Google Android Help. “Manage permissions from the privacy dashboard.” (support.google.com) Google explains how supported Android versions show recent permission use and allow the reader to review or change access. The menu and history period vary by Android version and manufacturer.

Chapter 12: Photos and Videos — Capturing and Finding Your Memories

  • Apple. “Get started with Photos on iPhone.” (support.apple.com) Apple’s guide identifies the current Library, Collections and Albums views. The layout and available search or recognition features depend on the operating-system version, language and region.
  • Google Photos Help. “Delete photos & videos.” (support.google.com) Google distinguishes deleting an item from the synchronized library, moving it to Trash and removing only the device copy. This is a useful route to check before deleting a valued photograph.

Chapter 13: Cloud Storage — Knowing Where Your Files Are

  • Apple. “How to turn off iCloud Photos.” (support.apple.com) Published May 28, 2026. Apple explains how synchronized changes affect devices and why original files should be downloaded and checked before synchronization or cloud storage is turned off.
  • Microsoft. “Delete files or folders in OneDrive.” (support.microsoft.com) Microsoft distinguishes deleting from OneDrive, deleting from a computer and changing which files remain downloaded. It also explains the Recycle Bin and the special consequences of deleting shared items.

Chapter 14: Files and Folders — Finding What You Saved

  • Apple. “Modify files and folders in Files on iPhone.” (support.apple.com) Apple explains current Files app actions such as creating folders, renaming, moving and deleting. Available locations depend on installed services and account settings.
  • Google Files Help. “Move or copy files.” (support.google.com) Google distinguishes moving a file from making a second copy and shows the current Files by Google route. Device storage and removable-storage choices vary.

Chapter 15: Smart TVs and Streaming — Watching What You Choose

Chapter 16: AI Assistants — Useful Help with Your Judgment in Charge

  • Google. “Learn about responses from Gemini Apps.” (support.google.com) Google states that Gemini can produce inaccurate information and should not be relied on as medical, legal, financial or other professional advice. This supports the chapter’s independent-verification step without implying that asking the system again proves an answer.
  • Google Android Accessibility Help. “Use Select to Speak.” (support.google.com) Google explains how supported Android devices can read selected text or use optical character recognition to read text seen by the camera. Availability depends on Android version, language, browser and device support.
  • U.S. Federal Trade Commission. “Scammers use AI to enhance their family emergency schemes.” (consumer.ftc.gov) Published March 20, 2023. The FTC warns that a familiar-sounding voice is not proof of identity and recommends contacting the person through a telephone number already known to be theirs.
  • Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. “Joint Advisory: Cyber officials warn Canadians of malicious campaign to impersonate high-profile public figures.” (antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca) Published June 23, 2025. This Canadian advisory describes AI-assisted impersonation and directs suspected targets toward independent verification and appropriate reporting routes.
  • National Institute of Standards and Technology. “Private key.” (csrc.nist.gov) NIST’s Computer Security Resource Center defines a private key as cryptographic information associated with an entity that is not made public. The chapter uses the real term because readers may encounter it and need to recognise that it must remain secret.
  • Bitcoin Improvement Proposals. BIP 39: “Mnemonic code for generating deterministic keys.” (github.com) Assigned September 10, 2013; status shown as Deployed when checked. This specification explains how a mnemonic word sequence can generate the seed for a deterministic wallet. It supports the chapter’s explanation of why a wallet’s recovery phrase can be consequential without encouraging readers to disclose or upload one.

Chapter 17: Keeping Things Running — Updates, Restarts, Storage, Batteries, and Help

  • Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. “How updates secure your device (ITSAP.10.096).” (cyber.gc.ca) Published February 2024. This Canadian guide explains patches, updates, automatic updating, backups and the increased risk of devices that no longer receive manufacturer support.
  • Apple. “Update your iPhone or iPad.” (support.apple.com) Published December 5, 2025. Apple’s update route includes backing up, connecting to power and Wi-Fi, checking available storage and using automatic-update controls.
  • Apple. “iPhone battery and performance.” (support.apple.com) Published June 1, 2026. Apple distinguishes battery life from battery lifespan and explains chemical ageing, health reporting and model-specific expectations. It does not establish the condition of a particular phone.

Chapter 18: Your Digital Life, Your Rules — Bringing It All Together

  • Apple. “If you want to cancel a subscription from Apple.” (support.apple.com) Published June 26, 2026. Apple explains how to identify the Apple Account and billing company responsible for a subscription. A subscription billed by another company must be handled through that biller.
  • Google Play Help. “Cancel, pause, or change a subscription on Google Play.” (support.google.com) Google explains recurring billing, the correct-account requirement and why uninstalling an app does not cancel its subscription.
  • Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. “What is voice phishing (vishing)?” (cyber.gc.ca) Published July 2022. This Canadian guide covers caller-ID spoofing, technical-support impersonation, remote-access requests and voice cloning. It supports the book’s rule that unexpected support contact must be verified independently.

Notes for Appendix B: The New Device or New App Setup Checklist

  • Apple. “Use Quick Start to transfer data to a new iPhone or iPad.” (support.apple.com) Published July 21, 2026. Apple’s transfer route covers preparation, choosing a transfer method and keeping both devices powered and nearby until the process finishes.
  • Google Android Help. “Switch to a new Android device.” (support.google.com) Google recommends charging and backing up the old device, confirming the correct account, selecting what to copy and checking the transferred information before erasing or recycling the old device.

Notes for Appendix C: Red Flags and Safe Actions — A Fridge-Worthy Quick Reference

  • Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. “Report fraud and cybercrime.” (antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca) Modified November 27, 2025. This Canadian page links to the national online reporting service and explains the separate roles of local police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
  • U.S. Federal Trade Commission. ReportFraud.ftc.gov. (reportfraud.ftc.gov) This is the FTC’s U.S. route for reporting fraud. Immediate recovery steps still depend on what was paid, disclosed, installed or taken over, as described in the Chapter 10 sources.