Stop sexting: new game teaches students about Internet safety

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Stop sexting: new game teaches students about Internet safety

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Web Wise Kids, WILL Interactive, Verizon and the ESA Foundation have created the game “It’s Your Call” for schools, law enforcement and community organizations to teach teens about “sexting,” cyber-bullying, academic cheating and related issues. Launched in the Los Angeles Unified School District at Sepulveda Middle Schools in North Hills, CA, the game aims to help over one million students in the U.S. learn about safe cell phone use and Internet responsibility. Users of the game become live action characters that “play out difficult situations in the safety of cyberspace before they live them out in real life;” the game also offers guidance about responsible cell phone behaviors and how to stay safe.

Posted by Christine Weiser at 05/04/2009 09:46:43 AM |

This kind of program is long overdue! Bravo to the game's authors and the school district for sharing with others.
Posted by: John Meyer ( Email: ) at 5/5/2009 4:07 PM

The WebWiseKids link does not work.
Posted by: Eliza C ( Email: ) at 5/5/2009 6:05 PM

This is great news. Is there a way to know where to play the game? or buy it?
Thanks for your help.
Regards!
Posted by: Carlos Raul Lopez Reatiga ( Email: | Visit ) at 5/5/2009 6:05 PM

The link does not worked because contained two "http://http://"below is the correct link

http://www.webwisekids.org/
Posted by: Mario ( Email: | Visit ) at 5/5/2009 6:40 PM

Looks great, but...who has money to buy access to this type of stuff--especially in this economy? With all the sponsors I saw there (Verizon,etc.) It should be FREE! Boo on paying for codes. Too bad, I would have sent this to everyone I know if it were free.
Posted by: Jen ( Email: ) at 5/6/2009 8:47 AM

I agree with Jen. With all those corporate sponsors, and the importance of these lessons, this program should be offered FREE to schools. Illinois has recently added state curriculum requirements for Instruction on Internet Safety. So schools are scrambling to fulfill this requirement with meaningful instruction without breaking the budget, which of course is ZERO. So I have been told to provide the instruction for grades 6, 7 and 8 students at the middle school where I am the library media specialist, but NO money to spend on resources. Just do it!
Posted by: Chris ( Email: ) at 5/6/2009 9:33 AM

Link not working!
Posted by: Shauna ( Email: ) at 5/6/2009 9:55 AM

Shame on these companies for not offering it for free. I will think twice before I spend money on them if they aren't willing to spend money on the future of our country.
Posted by: Chris ( Email: ) at 5/15/2009 8:45 AM

Kudos, Mario, for catching why the original link does not work. Hopefully, T&L will correct that.
Posted by: Diane ( Email: ) at 5/15/2009 9:59 AM

We, too, are finding it hard to find additional funding in these trying economic times. I think with corporate sponsors, the program should be free to schools as well !
Posted by: Suzanne ( Email: | Visit ) at 5/15/2009 2:50 PM

This sounded like "just what I was looking for". When I clicked on what I thought was the link, Web Wise Kids, the page was not to be found. Can anyone help me get to the site? Thx!
Posted by: Robeen ( Email: ) at 5/22/2009 9:34 AM

The correct website is http://www.webwisekids.org/. I found that they have a free trial for the Middle School level game and our district is looking in to getting that for evaluation.
Posted by: Mary ( Email: ) at 5/26/2009 6:22 PM

I'm a little curious as to why so many individuals who have commented have criticized the companies who created this resource for not giving it away for free.

How about this - if you are a parent, step up and do the job. Don't buy so much extra stuff that you have to have three incomes to make ends meet, leaving your kids to raise themselves. How about you step up and teach your kids right from wrong?

Does this mean no kid will ever screw up? Of course not, but it does reduce the chance that they will fall under the bus of social pressure to conform to the lowest common denominator of behavior.

And for heaven's sake, stop whining because someone else won't do your job.
Posted by: Rod ( Email: ) at 5/29/2009 10:20 AM

I agree with what you are saying Rod but as a digital technology I am required to address these type of issues and a program such as this would be a wonderful tool. But I am in the same boat as the other educators that have written. I do not have the funds to buy programs, we have to supply our students who do not have basic supplies (paper, pencils, pens...) their materials so any extra expenses can't happen.
Posted by: Debbie ( Email: ) at 5/29/2009 10:55 AM