On October 15, 2012, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced the creation of a new interactive website to helps teachers educate students about safe online surfing and cyber safety. The program is called the FBI-SOS (Safe Online Surfing) Internet Challenge, and the website was created with the assistance of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The new website target six specific grades. There is one island for grades third through eighth, and the websites allow kids to learn about cyber security by playing games, watching videos, and engaging in other activities.
Each grade has its own exam as well. Teachers can sign up their classes and give the exam once the students have completed all of the activities. The grading is completed electronically by the FBI, and schools can appear on a leader board with three different categories. The top scoring schools can received an FBI-SOS trophy, and they can even receive a visit from an FBI agent.
Kids of all ages can visit the website. The exam is only available for kids in third grade through eighth grade though, and teachers have to register their classes before the exams can be taken.
The FBI stresses that they DO NOT collect information about the students like names, ages, or school information. A student only receives a number, and the teacher can identify the number that matches each student. Teachers need to provide their name, school, and school email address when signing up for the program.
Scott McMillion, the head manger of the program under the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, states: “FBI-SOS is a fun, free, and effective way to teach kids how to use the internet safely and responsibly. We encourage teachers to check out the site and sign up their classes during the school year.”
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation
