Google Is Hosting Parent-Child Internet Safety Workshops This Week

Workshops will focus on giving parents tools to help kids be smart, safe, and kind on the Internet.

By Jacqueline Neber February 11, 2020

Google hosted the first of its parent-child Internet safety workshops in partnership with the National Parent Teacher Association and YMCA on Internet Safety Day, Feb. 11. The workshop, and subsequent programs that will continue throughout this week, will focus on giving parents the tools to help kids be safe, smart, and kind on the Internet. This initiative is part of Google’s Be Internet Awesome campaign; workshops will be held through the PTA and YMCA in 46 states and in Spain, Africa, and Indonesia.

Google also unveiled new research tools that show parents aren’t comfortable talking to their kids about Internet safety–in fact, 73 percent of parents spend less than 20 minutes a month discussing it! Only 4 in 10 parents feel confident to talk to their families about this subject, and 50 percent of parents themselves have never received any kind of Internet safety training. Parents’ top online concerns for their kids, Google reports, are inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and making sure their kids are communicating responsibly.

During the workshops, which are held at Google at 111 8th Ave. in Chelsea, parents and kids will be led through an Online Safety Gallery exhibit that teaches Internet safety in an interactive way. Kids can play around with creating strong passwords, take quizzes on Internet safety (some questions are tricky!) and learn which online situations are best to discuss with parents. They can also play in Interland and learn without even realizing it! All parts of the exhibit lead kids to be “smart, alert, strong, kind, and brave” on the Internet. Families are provided with tools for communication as well, and kids are taught to speak up if they see something inappropriate happening online.

For more information on workshops happening throughout the week and to learn more about the Be Internet Awesome initiative, visit the Google website. Happy Internet Safety Day!