Internet Matters
Internet Matters is a not-for-profit, industry-funded members body that helps families stay safe online, providing resources for parents, carers and educational professionals. It was established in 2014 by BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media and its members include BBC, Google, Samsung, Three, Facebook, Huawei, ByteDance and Supercell. It is a member of the Executive Board of UKCIS (UK Council for Internet Safety) and an industry expert working with The Royal Foundation Taskforce on the Prevention of Cyberbullying, founded by the Duke of Cambridge. It works with partners from across the industry, government and third sector to raise awareness and provide advice on the issues affecting children in the digital age, including cyberbullying, screen time, digital resilience, extreme content, privacy and exploitation.
Carolyn Bunting
ESET have demonstrated how important they feel this issue is by launching their Safer Kids Online programme, and we are delighted they are also supporting industry’s efforts to ensure families have the help they need to ensure their children can thrive online. Like us, ESET are committed to working together to help children and young people benefit safely from connected technology and we are encouraged by their commitment and leadership of this challenging societal issue.
What we are doing together
Global Cyber Security specialists ESET kicked off their Safer Kids Online campaign designed to build on work being done in the area of online child safety to help educate parents and children, and ultimately foster an online world where children are informed and able to use the internet responsibly and in a safe manner.
The link between digital technology - particularly social media - and mental health is often debated. However, there have been many studies that suggest a link between the screen use of young people and an increased rise of depression and lower wellbeing. The British Psychological Society has recommended that parents engage their children with discussions about their media use and use technology alongside them. However, many parents and teachers lack confidence with technology, they feel the kids know more than they do, and so are powerless to help – often resorting to ‘banning.’
Working with industry partners and non-profit groups ESET are looking to consolidate the child safety online agenda to take significant action to make safety online the right and experience of all children. As such, ESET has come on board as a partner of Internet Matters, the not-for-profit, industry-funded members body that helps families stay safe online, providing resources for parents, carers and educational professionals.
“We recognise that to have a real impact you need the right partners and working alongside Internet Matters allows us the depth of knowledge and guidance needed to ensure we are making a valuable and sustainable contribution where it matters most,” said Malcolm Tuck, Managing Director for ESET UK. “The nature of the issue is simply too broad for one organisation to solve and ESET believe that while investment from corporates and big tech should be a given, the need for action at a grassroots level is just as critical.”
Malcolm Tuck
Through our partnership with Internet Matters we are able to make an effective contribution to the online safety of children in the UK. We are passionate about supporting this successful and impactful industry collaboration. It is the responsibility of all of us who have benefitted richly from the spread of the internet to ensure that parents, teachers and children are given the right tools and knowledge to make children safer online and we are humbled and enthusiastic to get on board and play our part in addressing this challenge.
AFC Bournemouth
ESET began working with AFC Bournemouth, our local club, 12 months ago to become the title sponsor of their existing community engagement initiative “Connect with Care” programme. This programme was designed by their community outreach team to provide practical in school training to children in the Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire areas about safe online behaviour and positive digital citizenship. ESET has been able to enhance this programme with additional expertise and guidance on content, as well as supporting each training session with presence of Jake Moore, ESET’s Cybersecurity Specialist, as part of the delivery team. As part of this collaboration, we have also produced a practical workbook aimed at supporting little ones in their learning of good online hygiene and worked with the Mumsnet community of mummy influencers to spread the word about Safer Kids Online.
