RNIB Transcript for: Getting Interested in Technology
Voice Over:
RNIB – Supporting blind and partially sighted people.
Getting Interested in Technology
Intro:
Robin Spinks:
Having access to technology can enhance almost every aspect of our lives. Being included is very much about being connected. Whether it's for online shopping, Internet banking, or simply staying in touch with friends or family, technology plays a pivotal role in everyone's lives.
It's very, very simple to get started with technology. You can learn bit by bit and day by day. So in this short series of videos we've broken down all of the popular topics and questions around technology and we've made it really simple and user friendly and we hope that you find it to be a very valuable resource.
Chapter 4 - Social Networking
Robin Spinks:
Hi, I'm Robin Spinks, I'm 39 years old, I am a gadget enthusiast and I really enjoy social networking.
Ellie Southwood:
Hi I’m Ellie Southwood. I use social media to keep in touch with everyone I've worked with.
Madleen Mann:
Hi I’m Madleen, I’m 30 and I use social networking to stay in touch with my family.
Robin Spinks:
Keeping in touch with friends and family is really important to all of us. Nowadays, with all the social networking tools that are at our disposal there really is no excuse for us not to keep in touch with our loved ones.
Madleen, you use social networking a lot to keep in touch with friends and family. Tell us about that...
Madleen Mann:
Social Networking has increased my ability to stay in touch with my family, because it's easier to just send a quick message or chat to my family over Skype.
Robin Spinks:
There are some other uses for social networking...Ellie?
Ellie Southwood:
Yeah, definitely. So I use a tool called LinkedIn, which is a great place to stay in touch with all your professional connections and certainly last time I was looking for a job it was incredibly useful.
Robin Spinks:
So for someone who's never used social networking, what would you say to those people to encourage them to give it a go?
Madleen Mann:
Social networking means what you want it to mean it's just keeping in touch.
Ellie Southwood:
That's sometimes how I like to think about it is having conversations with people all over the world.
Robin Spinks:
You can make it what you want it to be If you want it to be purely social and to be about friends and family and keeping in touch, that’s one use, but equally as you mentioned, platforms like LinkedIn are much about developing your professional life and maintaining that network.
Ellie Southwood:
What about signing in and signing up? Are there any accessibility challenges?
Robin Spinks:
Many of them have improved in terms of accessibility, but it's worthwhile checking out the latest information. Get onto the BCAB list, which is really helpful. Or get in touch with RNIB. And swap notes and compare tips on the best methods for signing in and signing up to those accounts.
So in summing up social networking, it really represents a great opportunity for you if you're blind or partially sighted.
Get started with any device that is connected to the internet.
Share what you want to share, just ask.
There is always help available.
Madeline and Ellie, thank you both very much indeed.
Ellie Southwood:
Thank you.
rnib.org.uk