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Meta has announced a partnership with Childhelp to introduce an educational curriculum aimed at preventing online exploitation among students. The initiative, launched on Safer Internet Day, seeks to protect young people from threats such as sextortion and grooming. The curriculum is fully funded by Meta and is available for free to educators, parents, and organizations involved in youth care.
Antigone Davis, Meta’s Global Head of Safety, emphasized the importance of equipping students with knowledge to avoid online dangers. "For the first time, educators around the country will have a detailed, expert-backed curriculum – for free – to help students feel equipped to avoid sextortion and other forms of online exploitation," she said.
The program was developed with input from child safety experts including the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Thorn, the Department of Homeland Security, Purdue University, and the Crimes against Children Research Center. It features lesson plans and interactive activities designed to teach middle schoolers about safe online practices.
Michael Medoro, Chief of Staff at Childhelp, expressed gratitude for Meta's support in launching this prevention module. He noted that it empowers young people to speak up about online dangers.
Additionally, LifeSmarts will adapt the curriculum for high school students who will then teach it to middle schoolers nationwide. This approach aims to provide leadership experience for older students while educating younger ones through peer interaction.
Adele Taylor from Thorn highlighted the involvement of young people in shaping solutions for their safety. "Young people are at the center of the digital world we all live in," she said.
This effort builds on previous campaigns by Meta targeting sextortion scams on platforms like Instagram. The company continues to implement safety features designed to combat these threats effectively.
Information from this article can be found here.