Yahoo! Launches “Yahoo! Safely”

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YAHOO! LAUNCHES DEDICATED SITE “YAHOO! SAFELY” MARKING THE OCCASION OF SAFER INTERNET DAY

Yahoo! Safely to provide online safety tips for educators, parents, children and all Internet users

Yahoo! Safely

Yahoo! India introduces Yahoo! Safely to demonstrate its longtime commitment to providing safer online experiences for users in the week leading up to Safer Internet Day on February 8, 2011.

Yahoo! Safely (http://in.safely.yahoo.com/) is an oasis of information designed to educate Internet users on how to make smart online choices. Yahoo! Safely informs parents, educators and children about important topics such as protecting online privacy, managing search queries and creating secure online identities. The unique website offers a number of valuable social web tips for teenagers including learning how to minimize risks on mobile devices. It also provides guidance on how to use Yahoo! products in a safe manner.

“The Internet is a remarkably inclusive destination that fulfils both our information and communication needs. Our online identity is our new face and our email ID is our virtual

address from where we chat, share, retrieve and research information each day, so it is important that we give our young people the tools they need to make smart digital decisions, shared Alka Sharma, spokesperson for Yahoo! Safely, Yahoo! India.

She further added “The first step to a safer Internet experience is awareness. In line with our commitment to make the Web a safe and secure place, Yahoo! created an online destination to help parents, educators and children find their answers from a trustworthy resource. From a password safety query to understanding cyber-bullying and protecting your digital identity, Yahoo! Safely provides the answers”.

Adding her comments on the matter of Internet safety for students, Ms. Priyanka Jetly, DAV Public School, New Delhi, states that, “Today’s students should be made aware about copyright issues, piracy and safe access on the Internet and at the same time they need to understand the inherent dangers of sharing personal information & identification to any sources online. The Web is a marvelous destination for everyone, so it is important that our students understand and can deal with the important online issues they face every day.”

In support of Safer Internet Day 2011 (www.saferinternet.org), Yahoo! is launching Yahoo! Safely in 26 countries and 14 languages across the globe, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada (English & French), Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, United States, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Vietnam.

For Safer Internet Day 2011, Yahoo! is also sharing top 5 tips for Internet Users:

·         Own your digital reputation. Stop and think before you share a thought or forward a photo.  The Internet is a public space, so before you share photos or personal details, make sure it’s info that you’d share with teachers, colleges, or job prospects.

·         Think about what you text:  Texting is core to staying connected with your friends.  What you text is a reflection of you, so be thoughtful about what you text and confident that your texts portray you the right way.

·         Have a family chat. Talking with your parents or guardians doesn’t mean giving up your privacy. Everyone benefits when you’re on the same page about online activities, including when you can go online, how long you can stay, and what activities you can do online.

·         Know your rights. You have the right to not respond to email or other messages that are inappropriate or make you feel uncomfortable. If you get a message that doesn’t feel right, show it to your parents, guardians, or another trusted adult and report the incident to your Internet service provider.

·         Protect your personal information. When you send email, texts, photos or instant messages to people who are not trusted friends or family, don’t give out personal information they could use to find your physical location or exploit you. Guard your password like a hawk.