To mark Safer Internet Day (6 February 2018), Trend Micro, the global cybersecurity leader with EMEA headquarters in Cork, has launched its 7th annual youth internet safety “What’s Your Story” video competition.
“How do you know who and what to trust online?” is the theme of this year’s video competition, which aims to highlight the increasingly toxic issue of misinformation, disinformation, online hoaxes and scams, through the lens of our youngest citizens.
“There have always been reasons to be cautious of what we see, do or whom we engage with online. It’s a challenge at any age to determine who and what online is real and genuine. The internet seems more polluted than ever with messages that are unhealthy for us and our kids, and some of it is simply untrue. It’s a big problem with no easy answer but kids spend as much time online as adults so we’re all equally at risk of being duped. We hope that this year’s video competition will spark some creative answers from students and will encourage the rest of us to listen,” said Avril Ronan, Global Programme Manager for Internet Safety at Trend Micro at the launch of the competition.
“We want to showcase students’ thoughts about the increase in false information online and the lowered trust placed on the internet. While many teachers are trying to address this topic in their classrooms through media and digital literacy education, there needs to be more youth engagement on this topic at a national and international level. Through this video competition, Trend Micro hopes to provide students a platform to reach as wide an audience as possible with their messages,” she added.
The Trend Micro competition promotes peer-to-peer sharing, so that young people are empowered through the “What’s Your Story” platform to share their ideas, thoughts and tips on the theme of who and what to trust online.
With a total of €8,000 in prizes, the What’s your Story video competition has two age categories, 8-years and over, and also 13-years and older, with prizes awarded to – individuals, groups and schools within both of these age categories.
Entries should be submitted by 17th April with public viewing and voting ending on May 1st.
Entries with the highest views and ratings will be put before the panel of independent judges who will determine the ultimate winners. The winners will be announced in May 2018.
Representatives from Webwise, CyberSafeIreland, Young Irish Filmmakers, TY Ireland, Smart Futures, Facebook and Twitter will be on the judging panel this year.
To learn more about the competition details, submit a video or see past winners, please visit https://whatsyourstory.trendmicro.ie/ or follow us using #whatsyourstory2018
