Cybersmart Networking
Cybersmart Networking is an interactive online lower secondary school-based game that teaches children key cybersafety lessons about social networking in a protected environment. It is offered free of charge to schools across Australia. Teacher resources include fun classroom activities and lesson plans.
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Cybersmart Networking is part of the Cybersmart Challenge suite of programs and has been tailored to provide new and prospective social networking users with real experience of what can go wrong and what they can do if their online activities result in real life consequences.
What is the scenario?
Cybersmart Networking is about a close friendship group in urban Australia. Max, who is the focus of the story, has the idea of starting a secret group on a social networking site (MyPalZone) with his friends Emma, Jazz, Timbo, Theo, Lisa and Jamie.
The group has fun sharing personal secrets, gossiping and putting up photos and they are not concerned about privacy, as it is their own secret group. However, Max finds out that the secret site is not so secret anymore when he returns from holidays to discover that members of the group have accepted new ‘friends’ without discussing it with everybody.
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After learning about cybersafety at school, Max, Emma and their other close friends agree to stop using the group page and to rethink their individual pages, ‘friends’ lists, privacy settings and the type of information they post.
How does Cybersmart Challenge work?
View theCybersmart Challenge video for an overview of the online activity and feedback from participating students and guides.
In the activity, students interact with Cybersmart
Guides—school staff, police and internet safety experts, working in 'virtual control rooms' located throughout Australia.
Cybersmart Guides advise the students throughout and are available to answer questions. All messages are moderated by the 'Central Control Room' organised by the ACMA. There is no facility for student teams to communicate directly with each other or anyone outside the activity.
The ACMA provides additional resource material for teachers and schools to reinforce the key messages.
How do I register my class?
How do I register my class?How do I register my class?How do I register my class?
Sign up your school to participate in Cybersmart Networking by completing the online form.
Alternatively, schools can request further information about upcoming events by emailing cybersmartchallenge@acma.gov.au