New Snapchat program teaches teens to spot bullying, sextortion | #childpredator | #onlinepredator | #sextrafficing

MARKET AND SOFTER WAGE GAINS. WELL, TECHNOLOGY CAN BE FUN AND INFORMATIVE, EVEN EMPOWERING, BUT COMMUNICATING ONLINE CAN BE RISKY. TO BETTER PREPARE TEENS AND PARENTS, SNAPCHAT IS INTRODUCING A NEW ONLINE SAFETY EDUCATION PROGRAM CALLED THE KEYS. THIS MORNING WE WELCOME JACQUELINE BEAUCHERE. SHE IS SNAPCHAT’S GLOBAL HEAD OF PLATFORM SAFETY. JACQUELINE GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. GOOD MORNING TO YOU AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. OF COURSE. TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW THIS PROGRAM WORKS. SO THE KEYS IS AN INTERACTIVE ONLINE SAFETY LEARNING PROGRAM DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR TEENS AND THEIR PARENTS. WHAT WE THINK MAKES THE PROGRAM UNIQUE IS THAT IT ACTUALLY GOES BEYOND AWARENESS RAISING. IT LOOKS TO BUILD PRACTICAL SKILLS IN TEENS BECAUSE THE PROGRAM ITSELF CONFRONTS HEAD ON SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING SITUATIONS THAT TEENS MAY FACE ONLINE TODAY. WHY WAS THIS SOMETHING THAT SNAPCHAT DECIDED TO CREATE? WE REALLY WANT TO GET AHEAD OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES THAT COULD PRESENT THEMSELVES ONLINE, AND TEENS CAN ENCOUNTER ONLINE BULLYING, ILLICIT DRUG ACTIVITY, SEXUAL EXTORTION ON ANY PLATFORM, ANY SERVICE, ANY DEVICE. BUT WE WANTED TO GIVE THEM SOME PRACTICAL TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE IN THE FORM OF INTERACTIVE VIDEOS. PAINTING REALISTIC SCENARIOS, ASKING THEM QUESTIONS AFTERWARDS TO CHECK THEIR KNOWLEDGE. IT’S REALLY DESIGNED TO ENGAGE THEM AND TO SPUR CRITICAL THINKING, BECAUSE THAT LITTLE BIT OF KNOWLEDGE AHEAD OF TIME, THAT DOSE OF SKEPTICISM COULD GO A LONG WAY TOWARD MITIGATING RISK AND REDUCING ONLINE HARM. AND YOU MENTIONED IT’S FOR TEENS. IS THERE A SPECIFIC AGE GROUP THAT YOU’RE TARGETING AND CAN PARENTS OR OTHERS ALSO BENEFIT? ABSOLUTELY. SO TO BE A SNAPCHAT USER, IT’S 13 PLUS. BUT THIS COURSE IS REALLY DESIGNED FOR ANYONE, NOT JUST SNAPCHAT USERS. WE FEEL THAT PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS AND TRUSTED ADULTS IN A TEEN’S LIFE CAN ALSO BENEFIT FROM IT, AND WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE COURSE TOGETHER, SIT DOWN, CARVE OUT A PERIOD OF TIME TO REALLY UNPACK SOME OF THESE DELICATE ISSUES. THESE ARE NOT EASY CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE, BUT THIS WILL BE A GREAT KICKSTART TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS. AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT BY TAKING THIS COURSE, WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ULTIMATELY ACHIEVE IN THE LONG TERM? ONLINE SAFETY. THE GOAL IS ALL ABOUT RISK MITIGATION AND HARM REDUCTION. UNFORTUNATELY, WE KNOW THAT WHAT DRIVES PEOPLE TO ACTION IS SOMETHING BAD HAPPENING. WE DON’T WANT THESE IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS OR THIS KNOWLEDGE TO BE THERE WITHOUT TEENS BEING ABLE TO GRASP IT AND GRAB HOLD OF IT AHEAD OF TIME, BECAUSE THAT BEING FOREWARNED IS FOREARMED. SO THIS WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO LEARN AND APPLY THAT KNOWLEDGE AND MAKE BETTER CHOICES ONLINE FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR OTHERS. AND JACQUELINE, WHERE CAN EVERYONE GO TO GET MORE INFORMATION? THE COURSE IS AVAILABLE AT THE KEYS DOT SNAPCHAT.COM. AND AGAIN ENCOURAGING PARENTS TEENS TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS TOGETHER. IT COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS YOU HAVE ALL YEAR. IMPORTANT FOR SURE. JACQUELINE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH