Minecraft: Education Edition Launches a New World to Teach Students About Internet Safety in Honor of Safer Internet Day
Now more than ever, the Internet is part of our daily life, including that of our children. For kids around the world, going online is critical to their education, how they connect and play with friends, near or far, and to have fun. At Xbox, we believe that technology and games can have a positive impact on our lives, but as with everything, understanding (and knowledge) of safe use is essential. It is imperative that children and those who are new to using the internet learn to surf and play online safely - these are important skills they can use for the rest of their lives.
Before the 19th Annual World Safer Internet Day, we want to provide children, parents, healthcare professionals and educators with resources to help them understand online safety and how to be responsible digital citizens. Minecraft: Educational Edition has created a new immersive world, CyberSafe: sweet home Hmm which is designed to help young people learn to recognize common Internet threats, build strategies to protect themselves and their information, and know where to go if they need help. It's a fun way for students to learn about online safety while playing in their favorite block universe!
CyberSafe: sweet home Hmm is a fun and creative introduction to cybersecurity for children aged 7-12. It is available for free to everyone Minecraft: Educational Edition users. The name "CyberSafe: Home Sweet Hmm" comes from the familiar sound of the iconic Minecraft Villagers, who don't speak but rather grunt "hmm". In Cyber Safe adventure, this sound also represents the act of stopping to think about how to surf the Internet safely.
This game-based learning experience introduces the fundamentals of cybersecurity and shows you ways to stay safer online. The single player lesson provides Internet safety scenarios to help children make informed decisions by focusing on one guiding principle: stop and think before you click. The adventure will be available in the Minecraft Marketplace Education Collection in March.
Players begin the game in their virtual home, where they will meet the Trusted Adult, a non-player character (NPC) who acts as a guide through the game. From there, players advance through four pillars of cybersecurity, from verifying the identities of their contacts and protecting their passwords, to preventing phishing and avoiding scams. Cyber Safe presents four challenges:
- Do you want to play online with me?
A friend from school invites the player to an online game and shares their username. But when players make their way through the internet to the game lobby, they run into a problem: there are four friend requests, all with very similar handles. They will have to discern which friend request to accept based on the details of the usernames. This activity aims to reinforce the idea of connecting securely with others online. - Online maze? I can complete it!
The player travels across the Internet to get to a maze where the NPC Pro Gamer awaits them. The NPC says they have cheat codes to help the player through the winding maze. They have to decide whether it is safe to exchange their login information with codes. This activity is designed to remind young players not to exchange login information with anyone. - New Emerald Armor ?! Decidedly!
The Trusted Adult ordered a new emerald armor from MineMart, but received a message about a problem with the order. The player has to travel across the Internet to MineMart, where they are told they will need to enter their account information. Therefore, they have to choose whether to provide this information. This activity is a reminder to protect your personal information and not to share it with others. - Delightful! Pumpkin pie!
The Trusted Adult asks the player to purchase a pumpkin pie from an online family site. But when the player searches, he finds different results for pumpkin pies. The player's goal is to choose the right product based on familiarity, reviews, recommendations and other sources of trust. This activity reminds young players to rate the quality of information based on a variety of factors.
In each of these scenarios, players not only have the ability to make decisions about the right or wrong course of action, they also learn to seek advice from their Trusted Adult. These challenges teach the player how to practice thinking before clicking and reinforce the fact that they can rely on the support of a trusted adult - a parent, caregiver, or other adult they trust - to guide them safely through life on Internet. The challenges also encourage conversations between the player and their trusted adult so they can learn, grow and play together.
Once players have completed the game, they will have the opportunity to reflect on what they have learned.
To share CyberSafe: sweet home Hmm with a student from your school, family or community today:
We also encourage parents and caregivers to explore tools to support safer Internet behaviors and games. Download the free Xbox Family Settings app to use simple tools to manage your child's console games, and download the Microsoft Family Safety app to unlock physical and digital safety features that allow you and your family to build healthy habits and protect the people you love. Importantly, "CyberSafe: Home Sweet Hmm" can also act as a conversation starter to keep players engaged about online safety.
Xbox is deeply committed to the safety and well-being of our players. Just last year, Microsoft acquired longtime partner Two Hat, a leading provider of content moderation solutions, with the goal of creating better experiences for all. Additionally, our text chat filters allow players to personalize their gaming experience and decide what type of content they are allowed to receive and what not. Filters automatically block content before it reaches the player and are a great way to help prevent bad experiences. Our players are at the heart of everything we do and we are committed to providing choice in how to play.
Also today Microsoft released the results of its 6th annual study, "Online Civilization, Safety and Interaction - 2022" and the recently updated "Digital Civility Index" (DCI) score, which examines people's exposure to online risks, their online life experiences, and more. This year's global DCI score stands at 65%, the best since the survey began in 2016. To learn more about this year's results, visit this link.
Safer Internet Day 2022 is a significant opportunity to work towards a digital world where everyone, including students, parents, healthcare professionals and educators, can use technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively. There is still a lot of work to be done, but we are committed to continuing to improve. Together, we work not only for a safer Internet, but for a better online world.
