McAfee has announced that it has reached more than 100 000 youth, parents and teachers around the globe with its cyber education programme.
The McAfee Cares – Online Safety for Kids Program is a free school initiative that utilises McAfee employees, partners and customers who volunteer to train school-age children and parents on ways to stay safe and secure, as well as maintain good ethics in their online behaviour.
According to the 2013 McAfee Digital Deception study, Exploring the Online Disconnect between Parents and Kids, about 25% of youth spend five to six hours a day online.
Eighty-six percent of youth believe that social media sites are safe and are aware that sharing personal details online carry risk, yet they continue to post personal information such as their e-mail addresses and social security numbers.
“We have a responsibility to equip the next generation of computer users with the skills they need to safely experience all the benefits of the Internet,” says Craig Hockley, regional director, South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa, McAfee.
“And just as important is making sure they understand how to be responsible cyber citizens. We teach skills needed to navigate the digital world, including how to safeguard against cybercriminals, hackers and cyber bullies.”
On May 16, McAfee hosted its second annual McAfee Global Community Service Day to continue the effort of helping hundreds of non-profits around the world.
As part of this day of service, McAfee volunteers taught cyber education to approximately 25 000 kids, parents and teachers around the world. As one example, California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, and Michael DeCesare, McAfee president, paired up and shared the stage at Monte Vista High School in Danville, Calif. to educate students about responsible online behaviour.
Last school year (2011/2012) through the McAfee Online Safety for Kids program, McAfee employees reached more than 10 000 school-age children in California and more than 25 000 across the world. In 2012, McAfee expanded the programme to include parents and extended into Canada, Latin America, Asia Pacific and the UK.
This year, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard unveiled a new cyber safety module developed by Life Education and McAfee, which has been rolled out to more than 21 000 students since February and approximately 100 000 expected by the end of the Australian school year.
McAfee has also expanded the programme to include its parent company, Intel, which launched the McAfee cyber education curriculum to its employees worldwide this year.