Virgin Media and National Parents Council (NPC) begin Three Year Internet Safety Partnership

To celebrate Safer Internet Day 2016, Virgin Media and the National Parent’s Council (NPC) have today launched a three year partnership to provide Internet safety classes for parents of primary schoolchildren across Ireland.

Aine Lynch CEO of the NPC said: “The National Parents Council and Virgin Media want to help parents to be more assured and more involved in their children’s online lives.  The Internet is a fabulous resource and it’s undeniably a part of everyday life for the future.  Parents need information and support in their parenting role and we want to give them the confidence and skills to support their children as they enjoy using the Internet.”

The first series of Internet safety classes for parents will take place in Counties Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Louth, Offaly, Sligo, Tipperary and Wexford.

This year’s Safer Internet Day encourages everyone to ‘play your part for a better internet’. Underpinning that message, Virgin Media also announced the launch of a new online resource pack called The Web We Want for teachers at www.webwewant.eu

The online resource includes training guides designed by teachers for teachers which include 10 ready-to-use lesson plans for 13-16 year olds, and guides designed by teenagers for teenagers, which integrate important aspects of digital living into everyday lessons. Topics covered in these guides include online rights and responsibilities, censorship, freedom of expression, ethical behaviour, and maintaining a positive digital footprint for future wellbeing.

Virgin Media CEO Tony Hanway said: “The need to guide and protect children online is no different to having to protect them in the real world.  We believe this initiative will provide invaluable advice to parents wishing to learn ways they can ensure their children remain safe online.  The Internet offers a world of opportunity for children.  Our partnership with the NPC is designed to ensure that parents and children can extract the best from this world of opportunity while also ensuring that parents, teachers and kids have the necessary skills to ensure they remain safe online.  We’re absolutely delighted to be involved.”

In October 2015, Virgin Media launched ‘One Click Parent Controls’ which help parents protect their children from age inappropriate content on the web.  Free to all Virgin Media broadband customers, this new opt-in service is a first in Ireland and offers a one click solution to restrict access to websites containing age inappropriate content.