Get All Access for $5/mo

Google Is Using Games to Teach Kids About Online Safety 'Interland' is designed to help young people make 'smart decisions online.'

By Matt Brian

This story originally appeared on Engadget

Google

With the rise of phishing, malware and fake news, it can be hard for adults, let alone children, to identify what's safe and what's not. Parents can teach internet best practices, but companies like Google want to share the load. With its new project, Be Internet Awesome, the search giant has created a new program that helps young people make "smart decisions online." It includes a clever online learning game for kids, a 48-page curriculum for teachers and schools and a video series for parents to watch alongside their children.

"Interland" is a puzzler that takes kids through four mini games. Tower of Treasure is designed to help teach younger Internet users how to create strong passwords that keep them one step ahead of hackers and Reality River presents 10 multiple choice questions that help identify who and what to trust online. Kind Kingdom educates children on trolling and being nice on the Internet, while Mindful Mountain highlights how important it is to share information only with people you trust.

Google teamed up with online safety organizations Family Online Safety Institute, the Internet Keep Safe Coalition and ConnectSafely to create Be Internet Awesome. Thanks to this outside help, the company says its lesson plans, activities and worksheets meet the International Society for Technology in Education's Standards for Students.

As for the games, they're fun. Each one is geometric, bold, colorful and has a Monument Valley or Journey feel, making them much more interactive than many other online safety portals. While it's unlikely children will stumble across them on their own, Google has done what it can to make the program appealing to parents and teachers in the hope they'll be incentivized to pass those teachings along.

Matt Brian

Managing Editor, Engadget UK

Matt Brian is managing editor of Engadget UK.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business News

Tesla Is Now Worth More than Toyota, Ferrari, General Motors, Porsche, and Ford Combined

Tesla has added $250 billion to its value since the presidential election.

Thought Leaders

Why the Future of Digital Design Needs to Be Trauma-Informed

Online interactions can create stress responses in users, but if designers and developers received trauma-informed training, the benefits would go well beyond "do no further harm."

Business News

Amazon Launches a Bargain Shop With Most Items Under $10: 'Ultra-Low Prices'

Amazon Haul, the company's answer to Temu and Shein, is currently only available to U.S. shoppers using the Amazon Shopping app.

Leadership

'We Want to Be the Best': NFL Quarterback Jameis Winston and Business Partner Danny Cortenraede Share Their Plan to Help Startups Win

The Cleveland Browns quarterback has teamed up with VC investor Danny Cortenraede to elevate the game for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Marketing

6 Reasons Why Successful Entrepreneurs Need to Be on LinkedIn

Today's LinkedIn is more than a job search; it is a dynamic platform powering professional growth, business visibility and authentic connections.