2016

The #TELUSwise program: Educating, protecting and empowering parents and kids in online safety

The #TELUSwise program: Educating, protecting and empowering parents and kids in online safety
[caption id="attachment_24307" align="alignright" width="300"]char-loves-her-techChardonae is "Google" kid... she won't know the world without 'social media'[/caption]

With all the amazing things that the internet provides, from FaceTime to Facebook, it can be a dangerous place, especially for the innocent and naive. As the internet becomes ever more pervasive and omnipresent in the modern world, our biggest threat is with online safety and security. As a father of two beautiful girls heading into their teenage years, this is a very real concern for me.

What resources exist for Parents to educate (and protect) their kids online?


Breaches in security and safety, like cyber-bullying and identity theft, are a result of gullibility, naivety and lack of education. So what’s the answer to a more secure online presence?

Easy, a strong education platform that can keep us wise to how we are using the internet. TELUS  has created such a platform called TELUS  Wise  to keep Canadian (and Global) kids and parents knowledgeable about their internet usage - and it’s completely free.

[box type="note" align="" class="" width=""]

My wife, Christie, and I have been long-time supporters of TELUS, so when it came time to get our daughter, Chardonae her first cell phone with a data plan, we didn't even consider any other providers.

[caption id="attachment_24303" align="aligncenter" width="300"] This guidebook was key in helping us. This guidebook was key in helping us.[/caption]

However, as concerned parents, we wanted to be sure Chardonae appreciated the responsibility that came with her first cell phone. We worked through the TELUS Wise program alongside Chardonae, and we finally surprised her with her first phone... video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov73D6F-11U

[/box]

Who can participate in the TELUS Wise program?


Citizens throughout Canada are able to take part in this amazing initiative from Telus. It’s a fun, interactive and educational program that teaches participants about their role on the internet. TelusWise provides an array of brilliant articles, videos, quizzes and tips  on how to monitor your internet presence. It discusses pertinent topics like, at what age kids can use Instagram , things you shouldn't do on public Wi-Fi , and the terrifying effects of cyberbullying - and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

https://twitter.com/KELCOMbobby/status/761228219664076800

The website is easy to navigate allowing you and your child to browse by topic. So, if you’re interested in a certain area, like “Identity theft”, “Parenting in a digital world” or even “Seniors online”, you can get all the info and help you need, easily and for free. TELUS also provides Virtual Sessions and events  on a regular basis where you can join members in your community to discuss the topic of the day.

Do you or your child know what is your online footprint?


By far one of my favorite features on the TELUS Wise website is the TelusWise footprint  program, which is a phenomenal resource for kids and parents alike. Parents and teachers can use this as a fun and interactive resource for cyber education. It’s packed with awesome animated videos that turn scary and serious topics like hacking and identity theft into enjoyable and entertaining, yet educational, resources.

https://twitter.com/CarolAuCourant/status/732336083485229056

Take the Footprint Challenge with your children before letting them go online


To educate kids about the online world, TelusWise provides their Footprint Challenge , where children cover an array of different issues under 3 different topics: “Make a good impression”, “Do the right thing” and “Keep safe”. Each topic ends with a quiz and after completing the quiz in each section, kids are awarded a badge to show their friends.



Children are encouraged to create comic strips about their online presence, showing how they interact online. It opens up discussion points where kids can safely talk about what is correct and incorrect to post online. At the end of the challenge, children are able to identify their own TelusWise Footprint and will walk away more knowledgeable and ready for the world online.

FREE Online Resources to help you and your child navigate an online world


Apart from the Footprint Challenge, netizens are able to access the following guides available in both simple and traditional Chinese, English, French, and Punjabi:

So, where to next?


Whether you’re concerned about your own online presence, wish to educate yourself further about the cyber world, or want to teach your kids about online etiquette and what they should and should not post to the public, I would recommend you to visit the TelusWise website. Go see what your own and your kids’ TelusWise footprint is and start stressing less about your family's online safety. Remember that most of the cyber crime starts with human error, so getting educated is the best precaution you can take to prevent malicious online attacks.

https://twitter.com/YMCbuzz/status/725500803050401794

[divider style="dashed" top="30" bottom="30"]

Dai Manuel - The Moose Is Loose This post is sponsored by TELUS. The opinions and views are wholly my own...

And to be absolutely clear, this is my disclaimer: “Just so you know, I have been compensated to share my ideas on this topic. Sometimes it is in the form of products, or services or even money… But here’s the thing; I won’t  share anything with you that I don’t fully support. It doesn't matter what it is, or how much they are willing to give me if I don’t believe in it, It won’t be on my site. Seriously. You’ll just have to trust me on this.”   ~ Coach Moose

[divider style="dashed" top="30" bottom="30"]
Share by: