yahoo:

By Kathleen Lefstad, Policy Manager, Trust & Safety

Yahoo’s Trust and Safety team works everyday to ensure that our users are safe, and that we’re helping shape and build a better internet. We’re excited to share some of our efforts on the occasion of Safer Internet Day 2016, an annual event that seeks to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology, especially among children and young people across the world.

Our Safety Center empowers all of our users to learn how they can protect themselves online and foster good digital citizenship. Many of our resources are specifically designed for young people so that our youngest users ask the right questions and are armed with the right tools. We provide resources on teen mobile safety, social media safety tips, and advice on how to build a positive digital reputation.

We also want to empower kids and parents to understand the types of abuse they may encounter online. It’s critical that all users know how to identify abusive online behaviors, how to discuss them, and what actions they can take. Educated users can more quickly identify abusive situations – including revenge porn or cyberbullying – and know how to report the abusive content.

Additionally, we provide tips on how to protect your Yahoo account, including turning on two-step verification to approve or deny sign-in notifications, choosing a strong, unique Yahoo account password, and checking that your account recovery information is up to date.

Given the scale and reach of the internet, organizations must work together to make the internet a safer place. Yahoo’s Trust and Safety team is proud to work in collaboration with non-profit organizations, including the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI), other tech companies, and safety expert groups, including the Department of Public Safety in Sunnyvale, California, where Yahoo is headquartered. About five years ago, Yahoo’s Trust and Safety team began collaborating with the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety to develop their Digital Online Safety Program. As a result, police officers now have access to a proven, first-of-its-kind training on best practices for responding to online incidents in schools and leading parent and teen presentations for community building. According to the officers we’ve worked with, these presentations have saved kids’ lives.

As part of Yahoo’s ongoing commitment to online safety, we’ve sponsored the development of Education Packs in collaboration with the UK Safer Internet Centre. These education packs, which are free for download, are designed to encourage and empower primary age and secondary age kids, as well as parents, to do their part to make the internet a better place through resources including activities, lesson plans, presentations, posters and more.

Want to learn more? Check out Yahoo’s Safety Center to access our safety guides, and learn how you can do your part toward building a safer online community.