Google has given a million dollar grant towards the promotion of general internet safety in Africa.
Google’s Be Internet Awesome program is operational in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.
The program is planning to expand its internet literacy programmes through partnerships with third parties like NGOs, educators, government agencies, schools and regulatory bodies.
Google says the program will train participants on privacy, trust and safety. The firm also intends to provide partnering organisations with funds to support only safety efforts for children such as: analysing and evaluating information, sharing media with care, protecting and securing private data, and handling cyber-bullying.
Mercy Wanjau, Acting Director-General Communications Authority of Kenya, said, “The need for collective efforts by all stakeholders to safeguard our young people online cannot be gainsaid. Such initiatives will go a long way in making the Internet a safer place for our children.“
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Such efforts are bound to make the internet a safer place particularly for impressionable minors.
A report by the National KE-CIRT/CC revealed that investment in cyber-security has paid off so far, with a 75% plunge in cases of remote hijacking of computers as of the end of 2019.
