Children need to be safer online – but they need to be confident, too

In paid partnership with Google

Vicki Shotbolt is the driving force behind Be Internet Legends, an educational programme co-developed with Google to teach children aged seven to 11, and their parents, how to stay safe online. Since its launch in 2018 it has reached 70 per cent of primary schools in the UK.

Why is Be Internet Legends important?

As adults, we do so much of our work, learning and socialising via the internet,

so the same is true for our kids. Being online has so many benefits for young people: the internet can be a great tool for learning, as well as staying connected with family and friends. At the same time, we need to make sure young people have the tools and information to have positive and safe experiences online.

Why did you decide to partner with Google? The challenge for many parents is that children think we don’t know much about the internet! When we talk to children about the internet alongside Google they really listen. It gives our messages credibility. There are some great educational programmes out there but we know children ignore a lot of the messages because they can’t relate to the messenger.

What does the Be Internet Legends programme involve?

It is underpinned by five core pillars: Be Internet Sharp, encouraging children to think before they share things they read online; Be Internet Alert, to spot signs of a scam; Be Internet Secure, to protect personal information; Be Internet Kind, to respect each other; and Be Internet Brave, to encourage kids to talk to adults. Rather than focusing on one issue, this curriculum aims to take a comprehensive approach around online media literacy.

The programme was developed alongside clinical psychologists and organisations such as the PSHE Association and is updated monthly with feedback from teachers and parents. The combination of skills and behaviour-focused sections underpins a holistic approach which helps children spot risks and take an active role in creating a more nurturing online environment.

We’ve embedded Be Internet Legends into school curriculums with lesson plans for teachers, using a blend of online and real-life learning. This includes virtual assemblies from experts, activities for parents and an animated game called Interland, where students go on an adventure to learn about different aspects of internet safety.

And is the programme working?

Since March 2018, the programme has trained more than four million pupils in nearly three-quarters of UK primary schools. Four-fifths of children who have experienced Be Internet Legends feel more confident about getting help.

The programme is multifaceted: there is a full curriculum for teachers but on top of this, it has events, games and live sessions to increase engagement in a subject that children can easily turn off from. Ultimately we want children to benefit from growing up in a digital world and that means giving them the skills to do so. It’s as important as numeracy and literacy because we are laying the foundations that children will need for a life that is going to be lived online as well as off.