1. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
Dr. Veronica Samara, Greek Safer Internet Centre Coordinator
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus

2. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
Kindergarten:
• 2 out of 10 kids in kindergarten age use the Internet outside of school
• In 1 out of 10 kindergartens, this number climbs to 50%
• 1 out of 100 kindergarten kids has a mobile phone
• 1 out of 100 kindergarten kids has a profile in a SNS (!)
Primary school level:
• 46% of the pupils use the Internet outside of school
• 36% of the pupils have a mobile phone
• 15% have a SNS profile (!)
• In 2 out of 10 primary schools, at least half of the pupils have such a profile.
Immediate need to inform and educate kids from very
young age in main issues concerning online safety, even
before the kids start to systematically use the Internet.
* Online survey conducted by the Greek Awareness Centre in 2011 with 2.319 respondents from all levels of education
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus

3. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
A novel approach is being followed since the beginning of 2012, using the
most effective way kids can learn: Fairy Tales.
In this way, entertainment is smartly combined with education (edutainment).
128-page fairy tale book entitled “The Internet Farm”.
It guides young children from the age of 4
to the Internet via five illustrated stories,
which take place in a real farm.
Each story tackles important online
safety rules, with two very crucial
rules, our privacy protection, and the
consideration of online friends always
as strangers, repeating in the stories.
The five stories tackle the following:
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus

4. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
Εmails from strangers and publication of
personal information in online quizzes
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus

5. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
Meeting with strangers we know only in
the online world and publication of
personal photos on the Internet
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus

6. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
Racism on the Internet and
information credibility online
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus

7. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
Identification of the approaching
strategies strangers (pedophiles) are using
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus

8. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
Cyberbullying and defamation,
publishing photos of others, ethical use of the
Internet, positive use of the Internet
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus

9. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
Our heroes: two kids, Nikolas and Nike, which, with their dog
Hercules are the farm’s protectors, along with Vagia, the wise owl,
advisor and guide.
In the fairy tales, the kids take the role of the parents, Hercules the
family’s trusted friends, knowing the ethical use of the Internet
(protecting in this way, whenever needed, the young users), whereas
the wise owl takes the role of the educators,
who can teach in their own way the
kids to proper online behavior
and to critical thinking.
The farm’s animals are the ones which
behave unsafely and without thinking
on the Internet.
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus

10. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
The book is also addressed to parents and educators, encouraging
them to read the stories with the kids, and to discuss afterwards the
tackled issues.
In this way, they will be able to
create awareness, sharpen the kids’
ability to identify similar behaviors
in their own internet activities,
and to immediately seek for
help and advice.
The above task is strongly supported
by the chapter “Let’s see what we
learned from our story” following
each story.
The book is available at bookstores,
or directly via the writers.
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus

11. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
Going on step further: (interactive) theatrical performance based on the book,
in cooperation with a children’s theater group.
The performance is ‘mobile’, i.e.
can be set up in schools,
municipalities, theaters, and is
offered with a very low ticket.
Specific performances are
provided for free, with the
support of sponsors.
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus

12. Approaching very young users: “The Internet Farm”
«Because, when we are on the Internet
we need to use our logic and trust our instinct!»
Insafe Conference, 14-16 May 2012, Larnaca - Cyprus