An interactive digital safety program in Arabic, designed to help children, educators and parents together make smarter decisions online

Dubai, UAE, September 30, 2018:  Google announced today the launch of “Abtal Al Internet” (English translation is “Internet Heroes”), a multifaceted program designed to teach children the fundamentals of digital citizenship and safety in Arabic. “Abtal Al Internet” provides a range of resources and online activities for children, educators and parents to encourage digital safety and citizenship. 

The online platform — g.co/abtalinternet — focuses on five key fundamentals to help children navigate the online world with confidence by learning how to be smart, alert, strong, kind and brave online. The program also includes “A’lam Al Internet” (English translation is “Interland”), an online adventure which reflects the fundamentals of digital safety into hands-on practice for children to learn about online reputation, phishing and scams, privacy and security, online harassment and reporting inappropriate content. 

Tarek Abdalla, Regional Head of Marketing at Google Middle East and North Africa said: “We believe in technology’s power to unlock creativity and create opportunities for everyone including children. At the same time, we need to make sure children are informed, engaged and safe online to enjoy the opportunities that come from being connected in the digital age.” He added: “We want children to learn how to protect their personal information online, avoid inappropriate content, hackers and spammers, while exploring the internet with confidence. “Abtal Al Internet” will equip educators and parents with actionable resources to teach digital safety and citizenship through an immersive, fun and unforgettable experience for children in the Arab world.”

“Abtal Al Internet” is developed in collaboration with online safety experts including the Family Online Safety Institute, the Internet Keep Safe Coalition and ConnectSafely. 

Google surveyed teachers in the Arab world to learn about their experience with online safety in the classroom. According to research, the majority of teachers believe children should start learning about online safety at home, and 98% of teachers believe that online safety should be part of the curriculum. One in three teachers reported that they had witnessed an online safety incident (sharing personal information or cyberbullying, for example) in their school. However, 75% of them said they do not have the necessary resources to teach online safety to their students.