McAfee research shows more seniors than ever before are taking up modern tablets and surfing the internet Tom McCann, 10, and his brother, Charlie, 12, talk to their Nanna and Pop, Nola and Phil McCann, via Skype on their iPad. Picture: Damian Shaw Source: News Limited KIDS beware! If grandma is on her way over, you might have to hide the iPad. Seniors have developed a love for modern tablets and surfing the net, with new research showing they now spend more time online than many of their grandkids. Dubbed "silver surfers," they admit to spending up to 3.4 hours a day online - double that of Australian tweens, who devote 1.5 hours daily to their computer. The 50-75 year olds are also nipping at the heels of tech savvy teens, who are online each day for 3.6 hours, research by software security company McAfee found. And the majority of "silver surfers" admit they would miss their online fix if they had to go without a connection for a week (67 per cent). Nola and Phil McCann, 73, are typical of their increasingly computer literate generation. They Skype to keep in touch with their Sydney based grandchildren and spend time online shopping, share trading, banking and researching holidays and their hobbies. "I have been accused of spending too much time on it," jokes Mr McCann, who enjoys google maps, youtube, reading historical newspapers and checking out real estate. I can spend from half an hour to four hours a day. But we are a bit cautious about going onto Facebook and social things. Wife Nola, who took advantage of computing lessons at home from Seniors Online, logs on to catalogue family photos, research recipes and family history and source embroidery material from America. Tom McCann, 10, his brother, Charlie, 12, and mum Alex Merton-McCann, talk to their Nanna and Pop, Nola and Phil McCann, via Skype on their laptop. Nan Bosler, founding president of the Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association, said older Australians are being wooed online by new generation technology. "The internet is too good to miss," she said, adding it was fantastic for social inclusion. A lot of seniors are starting to be given tablets or to buy one and they find them a lot easier to use than a desk top or a laptop. A greater number are learning from their friends rather than our young grandchildren. More than a quarter of a million seniors have so far brushed up their online skills through the Broadband for Seniors program, government figures show. A Parliamentary report this year found 42.9 per cent of seniors were busy online using social networking sites like Facebook while 76.7 per cent now did banking and bill payment online. Using government services (64.8 per cent), entertainment (62.5 per cent) and shopping (54.2 per cent) were other popular activities, with 67 per cent reporting being aware of online safety risks. Ends Silver Surfers · 82 per cent purchase online · 75 per cent use online banking · Use email to keep in touch with family and friends (95 per cent) · 50 per cent use the internet to connect with lost family and friends · 47 per cent have shared their home address online · 44 per cent did not see sharing personal information as risky · - Source: McAfee Tweens, Teens and Technology Research.