Since 2018, Google.org has supported more than 60 organizations creating positive online experiences, including many that provide media literacy and online safety programs for children using Google’s open-sourced Be Internet Awesome curriculum.
To continue building on this impact, today, the American tech giant announced that it’s committing a total sum of 5 million euros to help kids stay safe online. Mindy Brooks, Google’s senior director, and general manager for kids and families announced the latest efforts at the Digital Age Summit in Dublin.
Helping Kids Stay Safe Online
The Growing Up in the Digital Age Summit held at Google Safety Engineering Center in Dublin featured many organisations. The attendees, including NGOs, regulators and content creators, participate in wide-ranging conversations about how to best protect, respect and support young people as they grow up online.
According to Mindy Brooks, these funds will be distributed to specialized NGOs using the Be Internet Awesome curriculum to advance media literacy and expand online safety training across Northern, Central and Eastern Europe.
In her speech, she explained that these organizations have not only allowed children to become more confident and skilled at identifying risky situations online, but they’ve also helped parents, teachers and youth workers feel better equipped to support them.
“From children tracing shapes in drawing apps to teenagers discovering new interests, young people are spending more time online. And as they start exploring the internet, everyone plays an important role in keeping them safe, said Mindy Brooks.”
However, she further added that Google is working proactively with educators, policymakers, law enforcement and child safety experts to design and develop tools and resources that protect children and help families make the right choices for them.
“Through interactive panels, Q&A sessions and keynotes, we’ll discuss the latest developments on designing age-appropriate products, effective tools to help families manage their children’s relationships with technology, and what more can be done — through collaboration, policies, protections and programs — to help keep children safer online, she added.”
