With concerns growing over the novel coronavirus, many communities have issued school closures leaving students at home and spending more time online. It’s important that parents and teachers take this time to ensure that youth stay safe from potential dangers on the internet as they spend extra time with technology.
iKeepSafe partnered with Google, Family Online Safety Institute, and ConnectSafely to launch a multifaceted program designed to teach kids how to be safe and confident explorers of the online world. This tried and true resource is as timely as it is exciting as kids transition to remote learning.
‘Be Internet Awesome’ aims to encourage parents, educators and kids alike to exhibit all the traits that comprise “Awesome” online–specifically, by learning about these 5 core topics:
- Be Internet Smart: Share with care. Be mindful of one’s online reputation.
- Be Internet Alert: Don’t fall for fake. Avoid phishing and scams.
- Be Internet Strong: Secure your secrets. Understand privacy and security.
- Be Internet Kind: It’s cool to be kind. How to deal with and avoid online harassment.
- Be Internet Brave: When in doubt, talk it out. Report inappropriate content.
These topics are the framework of the Be Internet Awesome curriculum, which provides lesson plans for educators to use in schools and parents to use in their families.
Additionally, the Be Internet Awesome program includes games and resources. For example, Interland is an adventure-packed web-based game that lets kids put fundamental lessons of digital safety into practice in a way they enjoy learning. And parents can find tips on the program homepage, as well as a downloadable family pledge that outlines ways to be “Internet Awesome” that the whole family can commit to.
Google also teamed up with a group of creators to launch the Be Internet Awesome Challenge, a video series that celebrates being your best self online. Popular creators, including John Green (author of The Fault in Our Stars), have recorded messages about Be Internet Awesome’s key lessons so families can start and sustain these conversations not just in the classroom but at home, too.