How Optus is building a safer internet for the next generation

If you had a dollar for every time you’ve asked, “what’s the WiFi password?” how many millions…or billions…would you have?

Staying connected: we love it and we can’t get enough of it. But with so much of our lives taking place online, whether it be for education, work or just social reasons, knowing how to stay safe must be at the forefront of our minds.

This year’s celebration of Safer Internet Day is an especially meaningful one. The current situation has certainly impacted all aspects of our lives and one that stands out in particular is how much we are relying on staying connected.

Being a leading provider of internet technology (which makes us digital at heart), we are proud supporters of Safer Internet Day as it reminds us of the importance of staying safe online as well as the risks to be aware of. As part of this, we recognise the important role we can play in ‘starting the chat’ and empowering the next generation to practice safe habits.

So, what are we doing to build a safer internet?

At Optus, we offer programs and initiatives that benefit communities across both metro and regional hubs. We believe our role in building a safer internet is twofold: educating customers on how to navigate the online world safely as well as enabling access to reliable connectivity that allows them to feel safe and able to reach their support networks.

With our recently-launched family friendly, data sharing plans which include a subscription to McAfee Safe Family app, access to our cyber education hub where you can find our free Digital Thumbprint resources and a first phone experience – we recognise the role technology plays in bringing families together in more ways than one.

On top of this, with more and more of the world taking place online, we also knowhow vital the internet is in supporting the education, health and safety of young Australians. However, for those in need, access can sometimes be a challenge and not to mention comes with a price tag. Which is why in late 2019 we launched our Donate Your Data program, forming part of our commitment to working towards closing the digital divide in Australia and giving the gift of data to young Australians in need.

This program certainly pulls on my heart strings and having received over 2 million donations from our customers to date, it’s clear it has touched all of us in one way or another. We are still expanding the program, and our current charity partners include Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation, ABCN, KARI Foundation, Mission Australia, Salvation Army, Story Factory, The Smith Family, and Your Town.

By working to close the digital divide, we are enabling young Australian’s to access the necessary connectivity to help them feel safe in ways that may not have been previously possible, whether it be by staying in touch with family and friends, supporting their studies and for those who are unable to visit a hospital; receiving quality care remotely.

One of my favourite Optus initiatives would have to be our Digital Thumbprint Program which turns students Australia-wide into cyber safety experts.  This year we are thrilled to introduce our new interactive digital workshops for the Digital Thumbprint program into multiple schools. The new workshops are free for schools and can be led in school by teachers or students can work through at their own pace. We are also excited to be running face-to-face workshops in metro and regional schools after being away last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In fact, since the program’s launch in 2013, the Optus Digital Thumbprint Program has educated over 330,000 primary and secondary students across Australia on how to have a safe, responsible and positive experience online.

This is a free in-school program sets up young people with simple and effective tools to navigate the online world safely.

Students take home some valuable skills when it comes to cyberbullying and how to seek help, as well as cybersecurity by verifying credible information, and what to keep in mind to create a positive digital footprint.

We’ve got the kids covered, but what about parents and care givers? Well, what I love about the program is that it isn’t just limited to students. We believe parents and caregivers play an instrumental role in helping young people navigate the online world, especially considering we tend spend most of our time online when we are at home. Keeping this in mind, the Digital Thumbprint program also offers a range of vlogs and articles covering everything from safeguarding privacy online to TikTok.  We also off a free seminar for parents and caregivers in regional hubs so they, too, can learn about navigating the challenges of the rapidly evolving digital world that young people face and how to make staying safe a habit, not a chore. 

We’re committed to supporting Australians to have a safe, responsible and positive experience online – no matter their age.

Optus is going regional this Safer Internet Day

As part of our vision of becoming Australia’s most loved everyday brand, we are committed to listening to and fulfilling the needs of our customers. For us, it’s all about investing in the communities we operate in; including those in regional and remote parts of the country. 

We are bringing our fastest network ever to our regional customers, investing $7 billion in our national mobile network since 2015 along with over 2800 live regional towers; representing our expanding footprint outside of metro areas and offering real competition and choice for these communities.

Our commitment doesn’t stop here. As a leading telecommunications provider, we recognise the role we play in empowering the next generation; enabling regional students to experience the latest in thought leadership and technologies through interactive and immersive workshops which are invaluable in inspiring them on their digital journeys.

Keeping this in mind, this year we are heading off on a bit of a regional road trip with our Digital Thumbprint Program, stopping in at seven schools across South Queensland and South Australia.

Eased restrictions don’t just mean we now get to enjoy dining in at our favourite restaurants, it also means we can bring back our Digital Thumbprint Program in a face to face format to schools. We know 2020 wasn’t an easy year, so we figured why not make up for it and keep the road trip going over the next two months so we can check in on over 30 schools.

This year, the theme of Safer Internet Day is ‘start the chat’ and we look forward to stepping up in 2021, using realistic and interactive scenarios to help young people shape their digital future for the better.  

So, what does your digital thumbprint look like?