Digicel declares February Safer Internet Month
Kingston, Jamaica – Communications group Digicel aims to inspire a much bigger conversation about using internet-based technology more responsibly and safely by declaring February “Safer Internet Month”.
The move is an expansion of the global celebration of Safer Internet Day that will be observed on Tuesday, February 8, 2022.nsscja@gmail.com in order to enter. Online users can vote for their favourite video on @nssc_ja Instagram page and for their school via the BiP SafeSpot Channel in the BiP advanced messaging app from February 15-23, 2022. The winning team will be awarded four Chukka Cove Ultimate Explorer passes, while the school that receives the most BiP-votes will receive a $100,000 donation.
“One day is simply not enough. This is why over the 28 days, we’ll be hosting a number of candid, informative, and interactive conversations with students, parents, caregivers, teachers and policymakers about how to better manage online dangers,” commented Digicel Jamaica CEO, Jabbor Kayumov.
Jabbor added, “With many more of our young and vulnerable persons getting things done online, it is of critical importance for us to raise awareness and to give them the tools to safely navigate the internet while they contribute to making it a safer space for all.”
Safer Internet Month gets out of the blocks on February 1 with the first edition of the weekly virtual series dubbed ‘Tech Talk Tuesday’ – aired on @DigicelJamaica on Facebook and Instagram at 6:30pm every Tuesday in February. The live rap session will involve students, parents, digital experts, and social media influencers who will explore different aspects of our online lives. This Tuesday’s topic: “Cyberbullying and You”.
Through a partnership with the National Secondary Students’ Council (NSSC), Digicel will launch its “Tech Time Online” ambassador initiative, inviting students to submit one to two-minute videos of them performing an original jingle promoting the do’s & don’ts of online behaviour. Students are required to form school teams and submit their videos to
Digicel has also joined forces with the Jamaican Association for Debating and Empowerment (JADE) to foster critical thinking in the online space by sponsoring a round of the National Debating Championships. The competition will engage secondary and tertiary students between the ages of 14-25 in a series of debates around Safer Internet practices and accountability, on February 27 and March 3 The debates will be aired live on JADE’s social media pages @JADELimited.
Safer Internet Day was established to encourage stakeholders to make greater efforts to make the internet a safer place for all, especially vulnerable groups, especially children. In light of the increased role of technology in our everyday lives due to the pandemic, Digicel is going all out to get everyone involved through thought-provoking conversations that can lead to positive behaviour change online.
Anyone who is a student, parent, aspiring influencer, or just interested in being more vigilant online, can benefit from being part of the month of activities. Persons can follow Digicel on social media @DigicelJamaica for updates on the month of activities and how they can participate.