Google on Thursday launched a broad, multi-pronged effort to protect people from online harm through an array of new programs, initiatives, collaborations, and investments in India. These efforts, Google said, are aimed at strengthening the collective capability of the country’s growing digital economy against cyber threats.
Unveiling these plans at the second edition of its annual Safer With Google event held in New Delhi, Google announced the launch of the following:
Cyberskilling roadshow to reach approximately 100,000 developers
Google will flag off a multi-city, mixed format Cybersecurity Roadshow to reach approximately 100,000 developers, IT and start-up professionals with unique tools, detailed guidance, and best practices on building safer apps by embedding security in all phases of development and adopting modern IT services. To support this outreach, a foundational cybersecurity curriculum will be integrated into the annual DevFest and within the Android and Cloud Series for startups and other programs.
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Multi-lingual awareness campaign for transaction safety
Together with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) and Digital India programme of the government, Google rolled out a pan-India, multilingual user awareness campaign with support from HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Airtel, SBI, and ICICI. The campaign encourages people to adopt basic precautions to stay two steps ahead of some of the most common frauds and phishing techniques and attacks. Google’s campaign partners will further create awareness for these precautions via their most used consumer channels such as websites, apps, SMS and ATMs.
Google.org grants $2 million to nonprofits helping to expand digital safety skilling and support channels for high-risk communities
Google.org is supplying a grant to Collective Good Foundation (CGF) to reach over 900,000 people, focusing on women, LGBTQIA+ people and other vulnerable users, with a specially designed training curriculum and resources to safeguard themselves from online risks. The curriculum and content will be available in five languages including English, Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, and Marathi.
Google.org is also providing a grant to the nonprofit, Point of View, to support the expansion of TechSakhi, India’s first multi-lingual, omnichannel digital safety helpline for women and LGBTQIA+ internet users. The grant will enable Point Of View to create regional language content, pilot new outreach channels, and allow for capacity building of other organisations. TechSakhi will offer helpline support in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi and Tamil across six states including Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu.
To empower the elderly with the knowledge and skills to stay safe in online interactions and transactions, Google.org will make a grant to HelpAge India to reach 50,000 senior citizens with digital safety training.
Launches child safety technology toolkit in three Indian languages
Google today launched its ProtectingChildren.Google website in three Indian languages — Bengali, Hindi, and Tamil — and invites collaboration with Indian NGOs and other organisations. In a press release, Google mentioned that it already equips qualifying partners free of charge with its child safety toolkit, which consists of the Content Safety API and CSAI Match — two tools that enable its partners to better fight abusive content. It also said that its current global partners are using these technologies to collectively process billions of files each year, allowing them to evaluate millions of images and videos for abusive behaviour.
Expands 'Be Internet Awesome' digital safety training to CBSE Board teachers across the country
Google is joining hands with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to scale the Be Internet Awesome program — a teacher training pilot launched in 2021 — to more educators through a combination of webinars, Master Trainer programs, and in-person events with the aim to equip students to develop strong and safe digital habits.
In addition, Google is also joining hands with Sheroes, a women's community platform, to offer a 10-part customised online safety video series for its members. Presently available in English and Hindi, this on-demand curriculum will focus on the fundamentals of online safety such as password protection, avoiding suspicious emails and unsafe sites, and other ways to stay safe online.
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