Google shares internet safety tips

The campaign includes a series of online safety workshops that will reach schools, NGOs, consumer and industry groups across India. The campaign will cover cities such as Pune, Kanpur, Guwahati and Lucknow.

As the next billion internet users come online, Google, in a move to ensure that they are empowered to be responsible digital citizens, has launched 'Good to Know', a nationwide campaign to raise awareness around staying safe online.

Google has partnered with the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) and the Voluntary Organization in the Interest of Consumer Education (VOICE) for this campaign, which includes a series of online safety workshops that will reach schools, NGOs, consumer and industry groups across India. The campaign will cover cities such as Pune, Kanpur, Guwahati and Lucknow.

Endorsing this campaign is the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) - the Government of India's nodal agency that deals with cyber security threats; the Data Security Council of India (DSCI); and the Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

Launched on Safer Internet Day (February 11), Good to Know initially saw the Digital Empowerment Foundation and VOICE hold a week-long series of educational events in New Delhi. This was followed by digital literacy and online safety workshops in Pune, Kanpur, Guwahati and Lucknow. VOICE will focus especially on outreach to schools and NGOs across the country, teaching tips and tricks to help families become responsible digital citizens.

Speaking about the objective behind the campaign, Chetan Krishnaswamy, country head, public policy, Google India, states, "Through the Good to Know campaign, we want to help equip millions of new internet users coming online in India with the knowledge and tools needed to become responsible digital citizens. Internet safety begins with exercising meaningful choices when online, having an open conversation about it with our families, and teaching them the basics such as using strong, unique passwords and not sharing personal information."

As a part of the campaign, Google India has also launched a website (http://www.google.co.in/goodtoknow/familysafety/) which includes tips and advice to help keep families safe from identity theft, scams and online fraud, as well as information on how its tools make the web a safer place.

The Safer Internet Day, which takes place annually on the second day of the second week of February since 2004 and also involves numerous countries outside Europe, is now in its 11th year, and was celebrated on February 11 to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology, especially amongst children and young people across the world.

Google India has been initiating various campaigns and activities to attract more users to the internet in the country. In November, Google India partnered HUL, Axis Bank and Intel to launch 'Helping Women Get Online', a mass media campaign targeted at women. The campaign promoted the specially designed website, www.hwgo.com, which will host content covering the very basics of internet and special content that is relevant for women in India.

The site is available both in Hindi and English. It includes interactive videos on how to switch on/off/restart the computer, adjust colour, brightness, volume, see a person using the webcam, change time, move files from one location to another, change the look of the desktop and copy-paste data. It also has success stories of some women who have benefitted from the use of internet.

Besides, in July, Google India had also launched a campaign which is aimed at simplifying the web for the country's internet users. The campaign was kick-started in Bhopal, which is the capital of Madhya Pradesh in Central India as Google feels the city is apt to target the growing number of the audience.