Local Primary School pupils were given a lesson in how to stay safe online after Google visited Hastings.
They were joined by local MP Amber Rudd who helped organise the event at Rye Community Primary School, which saw the school come together to learn about internet safety from experts.
Amber Rudd said: “I was delighted to see the enthusiasm and energy of the Google trainers, which really engaged the pupils, impressing them with these important messages of how to stay safe online. It is clearly as vital to protect children in the online world as much as in the real world given the popularity of social media. I will continue to promote this initiative as I visit schools across the constituency.”
Be Internet Legends is in partnership with family internet safety experts Parent Zone, and it is accredited by the PSHE Association. The programme has reached over a million children across the UK. It consists of five key pillars, which children in Rye were taught today, to help them learn the essentials of how to stay safe online:
- Be “internet sharp” – think before you share
- Be “internet alert” – check it’s for real
- Be “internet secure” – protect your stuff
- Be “internet kind” – respect each other
- Be “internet brave” – when in doubt, discuss
Children at Rye Community Primary were also shown Interland – a fun-filled adventure game to make learning about online safety fun and informative. Children learn about avoiding hackers, phishers and bullies practising the skills learnt with the programme. This is free online visit beinternetawesome.
Aimed at Key Stage 2 pupils (7–11 years old), “Be Internet Legends” is designed to prepare children to have a safe and positive experience online. The training draws attention to being Sharp about what we share online, Alert to scams, the importance of a Secure password, being Kind with others online, and being Brave by talking to adults about problems. “Be Internet Legends” has been designed to be fun, engaging and effective, and has now been delivered to more than 120,000 children across the UK.
Rosie Luff, Public Policy Manager at Google UK, commented, “We are delighted to visit Rye Community Primary today to help teach children about how to Be Internet Legends. By getting acquainted with what we believe are the five core areas of online safety, we want to prepare children to have a safe and positive experience online.”
This was echoed by Vicki Shotbolt, founder and CEO of Parent Zone, ” It is essential that children learn to think carefully and critically about what they do and see online. Parent Zone has teamed with Google to teach younger children the essential tools they need to become safe and confident online explorers, helping them be resilient, kind and positive in this digital age”, she said
Source Amber Rudd’s office, Google UK
Image Credits: MP's office .
It was nice to see Amber continuing with her constituency duties after jumping ship from Hastings and Rye. Her small majority would make her very unlikely to retain the seat.
Am I being cynical in thinking that she might regain the whip before the next election and stand in a safe Conservative seat somewhere else in the country?
If anyone knows of a bookie that would give me odds – please contact me – I would like to place a wager.