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IBM Offers Free Internet Security Training Tools

• By Mike Hohenbrink
• 02/08/12

IBM has released free training tools designed to help students, teachers, and parents improve Internet security.

Among materials made available by IBM are three volunteer kits provided free to students, parents and teachers. The three kits include:

• Control Your Online Identity, a training tool designed to teach teenagers how to be more aware of the image and information they present online;
• Internet Safety Coaching, a tool for parents and teachers with tips and information on how to prepare young children for social media and instant messaging; and
• Cyberbullying, a tool for adults on how to prepare youth to recognize and respond to bullying that takes place online.

All three kits are available for download and can be coordinated with lesson planning throughout the year for use both in and outside of school, in the home, in community clubs, or with service organizations. Topics covered range from password security to the ramifications of social media behavior that may come back to haunt young people down the road.

"IBMers are committed to helping educate people on ways to safely and securely use the Internet," said Harriet Pearson, IBM security counsel and chief privacy officer. "The resources we are donating will help teachers and parents raise awareness that most Internet-based threats to individual and computer security can significantly be reduced by actions that informed users take themselves."

Launched as part of Safer Internet Day, the company also made volunteers available to help with the technical aspects and support through its citizenship outreach during the day on February 7.

The Safer Internet Day effort, organized by INSAFE in conjunction with the European Commission's Safer Internet Programme, seeks to promote greater security and safety in Internet usage, particularly with younger users.

Founded in 2004, the Safer Internet Day effort has grown beyond the 27 member nations of the European Union to include outreach in nearly 80 countries and on five continents.

More information about Safer Internet Day is available at saferinternent.org or by sending an email to info-insafe@eun.org. Further information on IBM’s citizenship outreach is available at citizenibm.com. The Internet security training kits, along with more than 30 additional kits covering various topics, are available at ibm.com.