Orange helps schools to play safe with new programme for safety online

London, 16 April 2008 — Orange UK has today announced a Safety Online programme for schools to raise awareness of the need for care and responsibility when using the internet. Safety Online provides teachers with creative materials and tools to help them encourage the safe use of mobile and internet technologies in a fun and inspiring way. The content includes five conceptual film clips that have been specifically designed to spark class-room discussion and bring stories to life. Safety Online is available to all UK schools and packs are available from next week upon request.

Drawing on heritage and experience in advertising, Orange has taken an innovative approach to produce a series of thought provoking film clips. Each clip is based on aspects related to the fast growing areas of the web, which are highly popular among children aged 11-14 years.

One clip called ‘Digital Dirt' addresses the risks associated with posting personal information on social networks. It tells the story of a girl who is turned down for a job because a prospective boss discovers compromising details on her social networking page. Another clip, ‘Stay Safe,' highlights the hazards of talking to strangers online and symbolises vulnerability by a girl who becomes lost in the woods. It conveys the message that friends on the internet may not be who you think they are.

‘If My Eyes Were a Camera' shows a boy rapping about his affections for a girl and posting images of her for everyone to see. This clip encourages children to think twice before posting personal feelings or imagery online. The films also address the issue of cyber bullying and illustrate how although actions may not be seen, the impact on the victim is very real.

“We're working with schools to raise awareness of the importance of being safe online and have provided teachers with the tools they need to communicate this to children in an entertaining and non-patronising way,” said Christele Delbe, Head of Corporate Responsibility, Orange UK. “Safety Online is a key theme of the Orange Education Programme. It's about recognising the exciting opportunities that technology presents today, whilst educating young people in a positive way on how to enjoy the internet safely.”

Dr Jo Bryce, Coordinator of the UK National Awareness Node for Child Safety on the Internet, said: ""The clips and associated teaching materials that Orange have developed make an excellent addition to their existing educational resources for schools and teachers. They address a variety of online safety issues in a format which is engaging and relevant to the context of young people's everyday lives and experiences.""

Safety Online was developed to support ICT, PSHE/PSD & Citizenship lessons. It is a new addition to the range of Orange education materials designed to encourage considerate and responsible use of Orange products and services. It follows on from the success of Orange's mobile bullying video and classroom activities ‘Incoming Message' which is now in 43% of UK schools.