Google’s Interland: An Internet Safety Program for Kids

The purpose of Google’s Be Internet Awesome campaign is to create a safer and more educated online environment. Programs like Interland help close the educational gap that surrounds internet awareness for students of this technologically dependent age. Together, Interland and “Be Internet Awesome” make a fun and engaging internet safety program for kids that feels like a game.

Be Internet Awesome Campaign

In 2017, Google launched their “Be Internet Awesome” campaign. The campaign provides resources and engages kids, parents and educators with digital safety. It focuses on five main themes: Be Internet Smart, Be Internet Alert, Be internet Strong, Be Internet Kind and Be Internet Brave.

Google’s campaign communicates these five themes by providing resources for parents and educators. These come in the form of a downloadable classroom curriculum that communicates the importance of teaching online safety. There is also a downloadable “Be Internet Awesome Pledge” that families can sign and agree to follow in the home. In this way, families can encourage accountability and responsibility for online activity.

Interland

Additionally, Google created a free, downloadable software program called Interland. Interland is an interactive desktop game designed for kids aged eight to twelve. Many students often receive online independence or responsibility at this age. Therefore, the purpose of the software is to teach students online safety and online etiquette.

The colorful game takes players through four different worlds with different activities to master. For example, in Reality River, students learn how to identify online phishers. And in Kind Kingdom, students manage cyberbullies and spread positivity. Additionally, students also learn how to avoid and identify predators and hackers along with other online risks.

Each world’s unique puzzles, games and challenges engage students in a positive reaffirming way with online safety without limiting them. They also use the five main themes – share with care, don’t fall for fake, secure your secrets, it’s cool to be kind and when in doubt, talk it out – to explore many different topics.

Keeping the Goal in Mind

Completing the games empowers students to safely embrace technological independence. It also equips students to discern between safe and unsafe online behavior for themselves.

Interland is available as a free download here and can also be downloaded to laptops and tablets.

Text by Amy Haupt