Last month, iKeepSafe partnered with Google, Family Online Safety Institute, and ConnectSafely to launch a new multifaceted program designed to teach kids how to be safe and confident explorers of the online world. With school out and summer break giving kids more time to spend on the Internet, the program is as timely as it is exciting.
‘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 The Be Internet Awesome Curriculum, which provides lesson plans for educators to use in schools. It has been tested in schools across the country – from New York, to Eminence, Kentucky, to Des Plaines, Illinois and more.
Additionally, the Be Internet Awesome program includes games for students and resources for parents. 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 the 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.