Minecraft: Education Edition Launches a New World to Teach Students About Internet Safety in Honor of Safer Internet Day

Now more than ever, the Internet is part of our daily lives, including our children’s lives. Going online for children around the globe is crucial to their education and how they interact with and share experiences and friends from near and far. While technology and gaming may have a positive effect on your life, Xbox believes that safe usage is crucial. It’s crucial that children and those who are new to using the Internet learn how to navigate it and online gaming safely – these are important skills they can use throughout the rest of their lives.

Get ahead of the 19ThWe want to celebrate the annual Safer Internet Day worldwide. Minecraft Education EditionA new world of immersive experiences has been created. CyberSafe Sweet HmmThis course is intended to teach young people how to identify common Internet threats, create strategies to protect themselves and their data, and where they can go for help if needed. It’s a fun way for students to learn about online safety while playing in their favorite blocky universe!

CyberSafe Home Sweet Hmm

CyberSafe Sweet Home is a fun and creative introduction to cyber safety for children aged 7—12. It’s available for free to all Minecraft Education Edition users. The name “CyberSafe: Home Sweet Hmm” comes from the familiar sound of Minecraft’s iconic Villagers, who don’t speak but rather grunt “hmm.” In the CyberSafeAdventure, also known as the sound of pausing and contemplating how to safely navigate the Internet.

The game-based experience introduces cyber safety principles, and shows how to be safer online. Single-player lessons provide Internet safety scenarios that help kids make informed choices. They focus on one rule: “Stop and Think Before You Click.” In March, the Minecraft Marketplace Education Collection will have the adventure.

Trusted Adult

Players begin the game in their virtual home, where they’ll meet the Trusted Adult, a non-player character (NPC) that acts as a guide through the game. From there, players progress through four pillars of cyber safety, from verifying their contacts’ identities and protecting their passwords to phishing prevention and avoiding scams. CyberSafe features four challenges:

  1. Do you want to play with me online?
    An old friend invites the person to an online gaming session and gives them their username. But when players make their way through the Internet to the game lobby, they run into a problem—there are four friend requests, all with very similar handles. They’ll have to discern which friend request to accept based on the details of the usernames. The purpose of this activity is to promote the notion that online connections can be trusted.
  2. Is it possible to complete an online maze You can do it!
    To reach the Pro Gamer NPC, the player must travel through the Internet. They claim they have cheat codes that will help you navigate the maze. They must decide whether it’s safe to exchange their login information for the codes. This activity reminds young players to not share their login information.
  3. Are you looking for new emerald armour? Definitely!
    The Trusted Adult has ordered new emerald armor from MineMart, but they’ve received a message about an issue with the order. The player must travel through the Internet to MineMart, where they’re told they’ll need to enter their account information. After that, the player must decide whether they want to share their information. This is an opportunity to remind people not to share their personal data with anyone else.
  4. Yummy! Pumpkin pie!
    The Trusted adult asks players to purchase pumpkin pies from an online store. The player does a search for pumpkin pie and finds many different options. Their player’s goal is to choose the correct product based on familiarity, reviews, recommendations, and other sources of trust. The activity reminds players of the importance of assessing information quality based upon a range of factors.

Players have to choose the correct or incorrect course of action in each scenario. They also need to learn how to get advice from their Trusted adult. These challenges teach the player how to practice thinking before they click and reinforce that they can rely on the support of a trusted adult – a parent, caregiver or other adult they trust – to guide them safely through life on the Internet. They encourage players to have open conversations with their trusted adult in order for them to learn, grow and play together.

Once players have completed the game, they’ll have an opportunity to reflect on what they’ve learned.

CyberSafe Certificate

Share CyberSafe Sweet HmmToday, meet a student from your school, home, or community.

Our website encourages parents and caregivers alike to investigate tools and resources that can help support safe Internet usage and gaming. Download the free Xbox Family Settings app to use simple tools to manage your child’s console gaming and download the Microsoft Family Safety App to unlock physical and digital safety features that empower you and your family to create healthy habits and protect the ones you love. Importantly, “CyberSafe: Home Sweet Hmm” can also serve as a conversation starter to keep players engaged about online safety.

Xbox cares deeply about the well-being and safety of all our users. Microsoft recently acquired Two Hat, an established partner and a leader in content moderation solutions, to create better experiences for all. Our text chat filters allow players to personalize their gaming experience by deciding what content they are allowed to view and not. They prevent content from reaching the player by blocking it before it can reach them. This is a fantastic way to avoid negative experiences. Our players are at the center of everything we do, and we’re committed to providing choice in how they play.

Microsoft has also today released results of the 6Th annual study, “Civility, Safety and Interaction Online – 2022” and the newly updated “Digital Civility Index” (DCI) score, which looks at people’s exposure to online risks, their experiences of life online and more. This year’s global DCI score stands at 65%, which is the best it has been since the survey began in 2016. To read more about this year’s results, visit this link.

Safer Internet Day 2022 offers a unique opportunity to create a world in which everyone can use technology with respect, dignity, creativity, and care. We have much more to do but are determined to make improvements. Together, let’s work toward not just a safer Internet, but a better online world.

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