The information and awareness campaign for the school community continues

       On November 5, the National Center for Personal Data Protection (NCPDP) continued its information and awareness campaign for the school community, organizing the training session “Personal data protection and children’s safety in the online environment” for the Public Institution “Universul” Theoretical High School in Chisinau. The event took place during the Personal Development class, the target audience being students of the 4th grade “B”.

       The main objective of the training session was to familiarize children with the notion of personal data, understand its value, and raise awareness of the risks they may be exposed to when providing information about themselves online. Through an approach adapted to the age of the participants, the NCPDP trainers managed to create a dynamic and interactive educational framework, based on dialogue, thematic games, case studies and real-life examples.

       Students were challenged to determine the types of data that need to be protected (name, photo, address, phone number, etc.) and to identify safe and unsafe behaviors in their daily internet activities. They also learned how to react when receiving messages from unknown people, how to create secure passwords, how to manage information published on social networks, and why it is important to ask for support from parents or teachers in uncertain situations.

       During the activities, the trainers emphasized the development of students’ critical thinking, encouraging them to analyze the consequences of their actions in the digital environment and to understand the connection between privacy, safety, and respect for themselves and others. Through educational games and open dialogue, children learned that the protection of personal data is not just an imposed rule, but a form of care for their own lives and for other internet users.

       At the end of the training session, students realized that personal data is an important part of their identity and must be carefully protected; not all information should be shared online, even if it seems harmless; digital safety starts with simple gestures: secure passwords, caution in communication and attention to posted content; it is essential to talk to trusted adults when facing unusual or uncomfortable situations on the internet.

       Through this activity, students acquired practical knowledge and understood that responsibility for the protection of personal data is a skill that must be formed from childhood.

       The event was organized at the initiative of the National Council for the Protection of Children and Youth, training 37 students. At the same time, the information materials, as well as the gifts offered to the students, were developed with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

       It should be noted that the information and awareness campaign for the school community was launched on April 15, 2022, and the NCPDP aims to continue this training format both in school institutions in Chisinau and in those in the districts of the republic. Through such actions, NCPDP reaffirms its commitment to contributing to the formation of a culture of data protection from an early age, promoting children’s safety in the online environment and strengthening partnerships with educational institutions across the country.