Google has launched a new initiative called Be Internet Awesome. This is an educational program designed to teach kids how to stay safe online. To that end, it comprises of five key lessons which, when taken together, should help children everywhere navigate the online world.

Today's children are growing up online. The internet has been, and always will be, an ever present in their lives, from the moment they're born to the day they die. In many ways, kids living in this, the digital age, are extremely fortunate. But, as always, there's a downside to everything.

Lessening the Negative Effects on Children

To try and lessen the negative effects the internet can have on our children, Google has launched Be Internet Awesome. This is an educational program "developed in collaboration with online safety experts" including the Family Online Safety Institute and the Internet Keep Safe Coalition.

According to Google, there are five key lessons all kids should learn in order to stay safe online. These are: Be Internet Smart (Share With Care), Be Internet Alert (Don't Fall for Fake), Be Internet Strong (Secure Your Secrets), Be Internet Kind (It's Cool to Be Kind), and Be Internet Brave (When In Doubt, Talk It Out). All of which tackle the most negative elements of the internet.

There are several strands to Be Internet Awesome. Google is trying to reach kids directly with a free browser-based game called Interland which teaches about online safety in a fun way. Educators have a whole curriculum at their disposal. And families are encouraged to discuss all of the issues outlined above before signing a pledge committing to be good digital citizens.

A Treasure Trove of Free Educational Resources

This is a fantastic effort from Google that could help make the internet better for the generations to come. No one asked Google to do this, and yet the company has released a treasure trove of educational resources for free. Now we just need to hope children sit up and take notice.

Do you have children? Are you worried about the amount of time they spend online? Or what websites they visit? What do you think of the Be Internet Awesome initiative? Would Google be your first choice for educating your kids? Please let us know in the comments below!