Be Internet Awesome: All About Interland from Google

Google’s “Be Internet Awesome” initiative is an interactive way to teach children how to use the Internet wisely. Google does this through Interland, an online adventure game that also teaches the key lessons of the Internet safety.

Embark on a quest to deny hackers, sink phishers, one-up cyberbullies, outsmart “over-sharers”, and become a confident explorer online. Through these activities, students can learn the importance of exercising caution when using the Internet and have the opportunity to learn key terms. With in-game questions or tasks, students learn the importance of using the web correctly. Points are tabulated throughout the game, and at the end there is a short quiz to reinforce the main ideas of the “island.” Get them right to earn more points! Once completed, the final score is displayed along with a recap of what was covered on the island. Complete the game and print out a certificate of achievement! Then, you can play the game again or move on to another island.

Let’s take a look at each of the games within Interland, and learn how they can help students become Internet awesome!

Tower of Treasure

In Tower of Treasure, you have three levels to navigate through obstacles. If you accidentally bump into an object, it forces you to drop your information and the hackers can grab it. The object of this game is to gather your information and keep it away from hackers by storing it safely in the tower. Once you’ve completed the task, create a strong password to keep your information safe. This teaches children how to correctly store information on the Internet to prevent hackers from stealing it.

Kind Kingdom

Block and report “troublemakers” in Kind Kingdom. The object of this game is to get to the top of the mountain and spread good vibes throughout the kingdom! Along the way, collect hearts and accolades to give to fellow “Internauts.” When you’ve reached a troublemaker you block and report them. This teaches children about Internet bullying and how to be kind to one another online.

Reality River

The object of Reality River is to make the right choice when given three options to avoid being scammed. Make the right choice and you open the path to the island. Make the wrong choice, and you fall into the river and your information gets exposed to phishers. This game educates children on identifying phishing scams and making good decisions with respect to the information they see online.

Mindful Mountain

In Mindful Mountain, players share information with specific audiences such as friends, teachers, and parents. Mindful Mountain challenges the player with puzzles. A wrong choice shares your information with an over-sharer. This teaches children to be cautious and mindful when sharing their personal information online.

To help parents navigate through Interland, Google has created a free Family Guide. The Family Guide introduces each topic and provides a way to understand and talk about Internet safety. Vocabulary and family activities are provided for each of the Interland worlds. This makes it an easy way to get the whole family involved with web safety.

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