BT and Unicef announce campaign to keep kids safe online

BT and Unicef will work together to help 21,000 children better understand the dangers lurking online.

The three year partnership will work with teachers, parents and children in hundreds primary schools across the UK starting in June.

BT will provide 600 volunteers from its staff to train teachers and parents on the subject of internet safety. Known as ‘Right Click: Internet Safety Matters’ BT said the scheme would reach 600 UK primary schools over the next three years.

The training and information will “empower children to protect themselves online”, according to Pete Oliver, commercial director of BT’s consumer arm.

Asked whether the move was in response to Government pressure on ISPs to improve protection for children, Oliver said the deal had been planned “for some while”.

He said that compulsory porn filters wouldn’t be effective “without awareness of how to use the tools”, adding that people also needed educating about the issues.

Oliver added that BT was also working with the UK’s other major ISPs to better educate people on the upcoming default filters due to be fully implemented later this year.

The partnership between BT and Unicef was in response to research that revealed 75 per cent of parents would welcome online safety information through their child’s school if it were offered.

Unicef’s Catherine Cottrell said it was important to “build awareness” and help parents understand “what children are actually doing online”.

BT said it would be training teachers to provide “online safety classes” for thousands of children over the next three years that would give practical advice on how to enable parental control features and understand internet dangers.