As Safer Internet Day rolls around at the start of each school year, it is a great reminder of what we can be doing and how we can best work together to help make schools and kura safer online. When it comes to online safety, we all have a role to play. We spoke to two of our team members, Greg Duff- Head of Education & Engagement, and Andrew Hood-Senior Product Manager on why it’s so important, their top recommendations for starting the new year right and how we work together with our partners towards the goal of a safer internet.
Safer Internet Day is a global day of action all about promoting a collaborative effort in building a safer online world. We asked why it’s important to recognise Safer Internet Day.
“In today’s digital world, cyber threats like scams, phishing, and online bullying are everywhere, and knowing how to protect yourself is more important than ever. SID is all about raising awareness, sharing tips, and encouraging everyone—whether you’re a parent, school/community leader, teacher, business owner, or just someone who spends time online—to play their part in making the internet a safer place. It’s a great opportunity to connect with others, learn about the latest online safety trends, and push for better digital policies. At the end of the day, a safer internet benefits everyone, and the more we talk about it, the stronger and smarter we all become.”
Greg Duff
N4L blocked 3.3 billion safety threats across the network over a 12 month period (2023/24), to help keep ākonga safer online. Greg and Andrew explain how we’re continuing to help make the internet safer and more secure for schools and kura.
“We keep it simple for schools by delivering world-class cybersecurity and safety for New Zealand Schools. We do a lot of the heavy technical lifting, with industry experts, systems and tools that support a safer online experience. But we can’t do it all – it’s a collaborative effort and one that requires effort and support all around. We aim to guide schools through the nuance of their evolving technical environment to support safer internet decisions that suit their community’s vision for online learning.”
Greg Duff
“Our safety and security solutions help strengthen schools’ defences. It’s also important to understand what the N4L services can and can’t do and what other tools and processes are available to keep schools and kura safer.”
Andrew Hood
While our online safety and security solutions create a baseline level, there are additional steps that can be taken to strengthen your protection. Here are the team’s top three recommendations for schools to implement into online safety toolkits.
“Multi-factor authentication is an excellent tool and one I would recommend having across all accounts. Another step to take is to ensure all school devices are enrolled into device management. Finally, build an incident response plan, if a cybersecurity issue arises you know how to navigate the situation and reduce the impact on your school.”
Andrew Hood
“Keeping students safe online is a big job, but schools can start with a quick digital safety health check. First, review and update your online safety policies to make sure they cover things like social media, cyberbullying, and device use. Next, check your cybersecurity measures—make sure passwords are strong, filters are up to date, and your school network is secure. Finally, make online safety a regular conversation by teaching students and staff how to spot scams, misinformation, and online risks.”
Greg Duff
We’re proud of how our services can help, but there are many other partners we work alongside doing great mahi to create a safer internet for all. We asked Greg and Andrew to share more about some of the partners we work with to help us achieve our vision.
“We have a community of practitioners working alongside us and in support of schools. Whether that’s one of our 13 IT partners or 17 Installers, we’re all ‘Team School’ and here to bring skill-sets together, doing our part to create powerful and innovative solutions. We work with the likes of Netsafe, The National Cyber Security Centre, Google and other big name providers. These partnerships are a collaborative effort and we’re grateful to have their wide ranging expertise supporting schools and kura across the country.”
Greg Duff
“We work alongside the Ministry of Education to enhance our services, while they provide licenses and support to schools. The Cyber Assistant Tool by the Ministry is a huge benefit for schools as it helps advise and guide them on a wide range of cyber and digital areas.”
Andrew Hood
*Note the Cyber Assistant Tool by the Ministry of Education is currently in pilot.
Protect your ākonga online with our help
Schools and kura across Aotearoa are able to access a suite of fully funded safety and security solutions, from filtering, firewall and DDoS protection to email security, to help protect you and your ākonga online. While there is no way to guarantee 100% protection from inappropriate content or online threats, we’re here to support you in ensuring a strong online safety posture.
We also recommend exploring additional measures to help keep your school’s online learning environment safe and secure. Netsafe has a large suite of helpful resources for schools and kura, written for both students and teachers, on topics such as digital citizenship and planning. The National Cyber Security Centre also has practical information to help keep your school network secure, like making sure your software is up to date and using two-factor authentication (2FA). And the Ministry of Education has some best practice guidance for managing software and devices in schools.
Our friendly Customer Support team is available via [email protected] or 0800 532 764, and our website is always there for more information about how we can help support schools and kura.
Here’s to a safer internet for all.
If you’d like to hear more from N4L, or see more blogs like this, why not subscribe?