Supporting
Online Trust and Safety

We work to help newly connected people have a safer online experience.

When they first get connected, new Internet users enter a complex digital environment, which can be difficult to navigate safely without prior experience. Helping newly connected users develop trust and safety skills is essential for building a safer, more trustworthy, and inclusive Internet. So, to ensure that everyone can take advantage of all the opportunities that the Internet offers, the Internet Society has teamed up with the community to co-create a practical, sustainable community-led online safety program.

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What We Mean by Safety

The ability to identify and avoid potentially harmful experiences online.

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What We Mean by Trust

The ability to identify trustworthy online sources, sites, and applications and avoid those that are not trustworthy.

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Addressing Lack of Trust in the Internet

We want everyone to be able to access information, resources and a network of online safety champions to ensure that they have the latest information about how to keep themselves safe online. Through the joint development of resources and training materials, we aim to equip everyone with the knowledge to:

  • Identify communications coming from non-trustworthy sources (phishing attempts, insecure or fake websites, financial fraud attempts)
  • Make informed choices about which tools to use to communicate securely with friends and families, such as messaging services that offer end-to-end encryption
  • Understand the methods that bad actors use to trick people into revealing personal information, such as bank account details, and why strong passwords are essential
  • Avoid inadvertently installing malware/viruses on devices

Get Involved 

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Contact Us

We are currently working with the community to develop resources and training materials. Are you an online trust and safety expert? Has your organization, university, or local Internet Society chapter developed online trust and safety training materials? We want to hear from you.

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Join the Online Safety Special Interest Group

Do you want to help raise awareness about emerging online threats, such as cyberbullying, identity theft, and online harassment, while providing practical guidance on how to mitigate risks and protect personal information? Join the Internet Society Online Safety Special Interest Group (SIG).

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Learn

Develop your skills and knowledge with these free training courses available on Internet Society Learning:

Digital Footprints, Privacy, Encryption, What the Internet Needs to Exist, What the Internet Needs to Thrive