Internet & AI safety, in plain English
The internet isn’t evil. It just doesn’t forgive carelessness.
I spent fifty years at sea, where the water doesn’t care how smart you are, only whether you’re paying attention. The internet, and now AI, work the same way. Here you’ll learn the everyday habits that keep people 55 and up, and the families who love them, out of trouble online.
Which sailor are you?
Pick the path that fits. Brand new and power users both belong here, and every path covers AI.
- Beginner
Learning the Ropes
New to smartphones, the internet, or AI? Start here. No experience needed.
See this path - Comfortable
Steady Hand
You email, shop, bank and Facebook every day and want to tighten things up.
See this path - Power user
Full Speed Ahead
You’re confident with tech and AI tools, or you’re the family’s go-to helper.
See this path
Explore by topic
Six subjects that cover nearly everything that goes wrong online.
Online Safety Basics
The everyday habits that keep you out of trouble: updates, Wi-Fi, safe browsing and backups.
2 lessons so farScams & Fraud
The scripts scammers use, the quiet red flags, and the 10-minute speed bump that beats them.
2 lessons so farAI Made Simple
What tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini really are, how to use them safely, and the new scams built on AI.
1 lesson so farPasswords & Accounts
Passwords, password managers, two-step login and credit freezes, one hatch at a time.
1 lesson so farFamily & Grandkids
Helping aging parents, protecting grandkids, and agreeing on a family safe word.
2 lessons so farWhen Things Go Wrong
Exactly what to do in the first hour after a scam, a hacked account or a stolen identity.
2 lessons so far
Latest lessons
- BeginnerComfortableScams & Fraud
Why Scammers Target Our Parents
Why scammers go after our parents and grandparents, and the simple “speed bump” habit that stops most of them.
Read the lesson - BeginnerOnline Safety Basics
Is the Internet Really That Dangerous?
A plain-English tour of the real risks online, and the handful of habits that keep you out of trouble.
Read the lesson - BeginnerComfortableOnline Safety Basics
The Online Safety Guide (with a Checklist)
Passwords, scams, devices and privacy: the four areas that matter, with a checklist you can use today.
Read the lesson
Why take safety advice from a sea captain?
I hold U.S. Coast Guard credentials, taught at MITAGS and Maine Maritime Academy, and still write Coast Guard–approved training.
I’m not a hacker. I’m a teacher who learned the hard way that most disasters start with someone not paying attention. More about me.
Situational awareness
At sea you learn to notice what doesn’t look right before it becomes an emergency. Online, that’s the difference between deleting a scam and paying for one.
Checklists, not cleverness
Safe ships run on simple routines followed every time. Safe computers do too. You don’t need to be technical. You need good habits.
Drill before the storm
Knowing what to do before something goes wrong is half the battle. Every lesson here ends with what to actually do.