The Internet Keep Safe Coalition is a group of leaders who are trying to set the stage for kids to be safe on-line and learn good internet practices right out of the gate. It was founded by the former first lady of Utah, Jacalyn S. Leavitt.
With a focus on children, the iKeepSafe® website is dedicated to the education of parents and educators to teach children the best practices of internet conduct and safety through fun programs.
According to their press kit, “iKeepSafe educational resources teach children of all ages in a fun, age-appropriate way, the basic rules of Internet safety, ethics, and the healthy use of connected technologies.”
Elementary students learn from Faux Paw the Techno Cat® through on-line stories. Lessons include basic internet safety, cyber-bullying defenses, how to balance real life with virtual life, and the precautions kids need to know about downloading for the internet.
Learning is really reinforced by all the free downloadable content they also offer including PowerPoint® presentations, quizzes, games, coloring pages and activity sheets. The curriculum is all based on research from Harvard University, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Maryland. The Faux Paw stories are available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, French, Cambodian, Vietnamese, among others.
There are also teen-specific programs on iKeepSafe as well as many resources for parents. The Parent Resource Center has the following materials available, almost all for free:
Video tutorials on current Internet safety topics:
- 10 Actions Parents Must Take
- Social Networking Sites
- How to Handle Cyber-bullying
- MySpace Safety Know-how
Family Fun Lessons: to help parents teach Internet safety at home
DARE Activities: coloring pages, activities, and instructions for parents
Online Safety Digest: recent news stories covering online safety issues
Learn more at www.ikeepsafe.org.