Marking Safer Internet Day, Meta has announced the launch of a new digital literacy program for middle schoolers, which aims to highlight the dangers of online interaction, and how kids can spot concerns, and avoid such, both in its apps and across the web more broadly.
Created in partnership with Childhelp, the new program provides a first-of-its-kind education curriculum to teach youngsters how to stay safe online, and includes modules on how to recognize grooming, sextortion scams, and other types of online exploitation.
As explained by Meta:
“The curriculum has been developed with input and resources from a range of world-leading child safety experts, including from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Thorn, the Department of Homeland Security, Purdue University and the Crimes against Children Research Center. It includes everything parents and educators need – from detailed guides for facilitators to fully scripted lesson plans, complete with interactive classroom activities and fun, engaging videos that help bring the principles of online safety to life for young people.”
Meta says that the program, which also includes quick links to support resources, will be made available for free to all teachers, and those who care for young people, including schools, parents, community or faith-based organizations and after-school programs.
“It’s now part of the Childhelp ‘Speak Up Be Safe’ program, which is already used to help students of all ages deal with a range of safety issues – from physical abuse or neglect to online bullying.”
It’s an important expansion of Meta’s existing safety initiatives, providing additional health and safety guidance for youngsters, and addressing some key elements of concern in digital interaction.
It’s also a valuable push from the associated organizations, utilizing Meta’s reach to boost their messaging, and ensure more parents and kids are aware of the dangers online, and how to both detect and address such.
Of course, it’s impossible to safeguard everything, but providing access to more resources, in more places, should help to enhance overall digital literacy, and increase broader awareness of what to be aware of in digital interaction.
And as we move into an era of virtual reality, and more immersive connection, that could become even more relevant, in providing guidance for youngsters who may be concerned, while also giving them more guidance to consider in such.
You can learn more about the new safety initiative here.
