Press Releases

Budapest, June 5, 2015 10:00

Telekom's SmartDigital Program started in early 2013, which, in partnership with the Digital Knowledge Academy and the participation of volunteers of the company teaches children how to use the Internet safely and consciously. Recently the 60 thousandth pupil has been taught. The successful program is now opening its gates in front of teachers and parents as well. 

SIn the framework of its SmartDigital Program Telekom strives to contribute to improving Hungary's digital maturity and literacy. So far the program has been primarily for school-age children; primary and secondary school pupils can hear from the company's volunteers about the opportunities and threats of Internet use, setting and screening tips and the netiquette in the framework of an extraordinary form master's class. The success of the program is enhanced by the fact that children can discuss their concerns with experts who, due to their work, possess updated and practicall skills in this area. Since its inception the program has reached 60 thousand children, a volume similar to having had the whole of Veszprém's citizenry access the training.

Iván Rózsa, Magyar Telekom's corporate communications director said: “school-age children are obviously interested the most in being present in social networking sites and most of the questions they ask during the lectures are related to this area. Our experience is that children's awareness is improving in this respect, they do recognise risks and understand the need of various security settings.”

The organisers of the program have realized that children's guidance and self-assurance in the digital space can be enhanced to a great extent if the adults who are around them also possess adequate skills in the area of Internet and mobile security, and if they can establish a real dialogue in this topic. For this reason organisers of Telekom's SmartDigital Program are now expanding traning to parents and teachers who are confronted each day with digital challenges.

„From now on parents and teachers can also build on the success the program has reached in the course of children's education. We hope increasinly more of them will recognise the importance of the need to be able to become a point of orientation by „speaking the same language” as their children and pupils in their being present in the digital world and using the world net beneficially and safely” , Iván Rózsa said.

Volunteer lecturers conduct interactive sessions enriched by presentation and short films for the audience. They discuss topics like information authenticity, social networking sites, data fishing, challenges in the online space (harassment, sending sexual contents, netting), content consumption, etiquette, game addiction, online transactions, economy based on community sharing, parental control. Lectures held for parents and teachers introduce the various stages of the online world and help adults to be sure about their pupils' and children's safety even when unattended in the digital world.

In association with the large-scale network development plans announced for this year Telekom proactively approaches with its training program the settlements where it is going to perform development, so local inhabitants will be able to master the digital competencies indispensable for the use of the services that will become available on the high-speed infrastructure.