In an era where students spend an increasing amount of time online, whether for educational purposes, social networking, or leisure, the need for comprehensive internet safety is more critical than ever. Rapid advancements in technology necessitate that educators, parents, adults, and children themselves equip themselves with the knowledge and tools to navigate the online world securely.
The FBI offers a free and engaging solution to this challenge through the Safe Online Surfing (SOS) program, designed to cater to third to eighth-grade students. This program incorporates age-specific materials and a series of grade-appropriate online games. It's an innovative approach to not only educate but also entertain children while instilling vital online lessons.
The SOS Internet Challenge is centered on teaching cyber safety, fostering responsible digital citizenship, and making learning enjoyable. The curriculum encompasses topics like cyberbullying, password security, malware awareness, responsible social media usage, and more. During the course, students accompany a robot avatar through six thematic areas, answering true/false, multiple-choice, and matching questions. Upon completing all levels, students can undertake a final exam to test their knowledge.
In the most recent program update, students benefit from a more contemporary and mobile-responsive gaming experience, better addressing and reflecting the latest online threats children might encounter. It's important to note that SOS activities and resources are accessible to all, including parents, after-school providers, and youth coaches, enabling them to contribute to children's online safety education.
The SOS Challenge is widely adopted by schools across the United States. During the 2022-23 school year, an impressive 19,735 schools participated, with over 1.6 million students nationwide successfully completing the program.
To partake in the testing and national competition, teachers can register eligible classes from public, private, or homeschool settings with a minimum of five students in the United States. An efficient online system empowers teachers to manage their classes, automatically grade exams, and provide test scores. Each month throughout the school year, classes with top exam scores nationwide will be awarded an FBI SOS certificate and recognized by local FBI personnel.
It's important to emphasize that teachers oversee their students' participation, and the FBI neither collects nor stores any student information. Furthermore, the SOS program's curriculum aligns with state and federal internet safety mandates, ensuring it meets educational standards.
This program is instrumental in helping children:
- Understand the fundamentals of good online etiquette.
- Navigate and effectively counteract cyberbullying.
- Recognize the significance of strong passwords and double authentication.
- Download apps and games safely on their mobile devices.
- Exercise caution and discretion when accepting friend requests.
- Comprehend the risks associated with plagiarism and privacy violations.
- Learn to limit the personal information they share online.
For media inquiries or interview requests regarding the FBI's Safe Online Surfing Internet Challenge in Colorado or Wyoming, please reach out to FBIDN_PublicAffairs@fbi.gov.
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