Australian Federal Police team up with Disney to promote online safety to Australian children

Today we received the media release below from the Minister for Justice, The Hon. Michael Keenan MP.  It is great to see that one of our Members, Disney via Club Penguin has partnered with the AFP to create a new online safety program for primary schools.

Club Penguin has also made the program widely available to classrooms as a free digital multi-touch book for iPad that can be downloaded on iBooks here.  To find out more about Club Penguin’s global safety efforts, click here

Media release as follows:

Australian Federal Police (AFP) cyber security experts have teamed up with Disney to create a new online safety program for primary schools, Minister for Justice Michael Keenan announced today.

“The AFP’s transnational work has a strong focus on protecting children in online environments, and this initiative with Disney is a significant indication of how widely-recognised and respected our law enforcement expertise is in the online industry,” Mr Keenan said. Disney’s Club Penguin, a virtual world for kids, has teamed up with experts from the AFP to create the free online safety program called Online Safety, It Starts With You, the first of many initiatives Disney’s Club Penguin will produce to try to and keep students informed and safe online.

The national program has reached out to over 1,200 Australian primary schools to date, involving an estimated 30,000 students and is about to launch in New Zealand schools. The resource pack that includes classroom activities, posters and safety tips for parents has been popular with teachers as it is not only engaging for students, but it also aligns to the core ICT capability units in the Australian Curriculum. Among various online safety exercises the program encourages students to be good online citizens by remembering three simple rules;

Be Cool—respect others, just as you would in the real world

Be Heard—speak up if you come across trouble and let a trusted adult know

Be Safe—know how to protect your information with passwords and privacy settings on various accounts. Mr Keenan encouraged teachers and parents to discuss online safety with children from a young age.

“If students are aware about the potential dangers of the online world, they will be more in tune to potential risks as they grow up in an online world,” Mr Keenan said.  “It’s important we engage with students about real life lessons that will ultimately prepare and protect them in the future.”

As a leader in best practice online safety and virtual play, Club Penguin has also made the program widely available to classrooms as a free digital multi-touch book for iPad that can be downloaded on iBooks here: http://bit.ly/1nlZRFa.

Kylie Watson-Wheeler, Chief Marketing Officer, The Walt Disney Company Australia, explained the significance of engaging students through hand-held devices.  “Disney’s natural affinity with kids puts us in a unique position to connect with families and children on important messages such as staying savvy and safe online,” Ms Watson-Wheeler said.  “Kids today have incredible access to the online environment and it’s important they also have access to learning materials that help them make smart decisions about online safety.  “Club Penguin is proud to partner with the AFP to ensure online safety remains top of mind for students around Australia as they realise online safety, starts with them.”

To find out more about Disney Club Penguin’s global safety efforts please visit www.clubpenguin.com/safety.