Teenangels Take On Cyber Threats—And Earn Their Wings

Teen Angels learn how to keep themselves safe from cyberbullies, online predators, and computer viruses, then teach others to do the same.

By Famin Ahmed, NCPC Staff

Parry Aftab, cyber lawyer and founder of the Teenangels program,
was asked to do an ABC News special on teen safety in April 1999 and went to speak to a group of teen girls at a school in New Jersey. But when her PowerPoint  didn’t work, the girls lined up at microphones and asked her questions instead—hard, thought-provoking questions that made Aftab realize these teens weren’t just concerned about their own safety, but the safety of younger siblings, cousins, and neighbors as well.

Five of those girls were selected by their school to work with Aftab to develop the first teen online safety ambassador program for WiredKids and to help her write a chapter for her book on what teens want other kids to know about safety on the Internet. The teens ranged in age from 14 to 17 and later named themselves Teenangels.

Teenangels are volunteers ages 13 to 18 who are specially trained on all aspects of online safety, privacy, and security and then create and run programs to teach other teens, younger kids, parents, and teachers about safe and responsible surfing.

 
The Teenangels receive about a year of training, usually 18 sessions with research and other assignments done between sessions. Each teen chooses a technology they use or want to learn more about. They research what safety mechanisms and information are already out there and figure out if there are any hidden risks that the manufacturers hadn’t considered.

The teens learn how to make PowerPoint presentations and are expected to make presentations to share the information they’ve learned with other kids. Teenangels must present to at least 500 kids before they can “earn their wings.” Aftab regularly asks Teenangels to accompany her whenever she’s asked to speak on cybersafety issues.

Aftab trained the first group of Teenangels herself, sitting in her conference room, teaching them about Internet safety. They challenged her to explain why something was dangerous and how dangerous it could get. As companies came in to consult with her, she got them to come in and speak to the teens. Such organizations as Disney, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Yahoo! all came in to talk on cyber topics as varied as branding and social networking.

Once Teenangels have  completed their training, they make PowerPoint presentations, produce educational videos, perform research, collaborate with law enforcement, and even act as expert consultants for businesses that make games or other products for kids. The program, now operated by WiredSafety.org, boasts about 440 active, fully trained Teenangels.

“The kids said they wanted to be involved,” says Aftab. “We can talk to other kids and parents and companies.” Some of the kids are attracted to the program because they were victimized themselves. Some of them just want to make the Internet a  safer place for other kids like them. Some of them just want to show others how  to get the most out of their Internet experience.

Some savvy Teenangels have gone beyond just sharing their knowledge with other kids. They make presentations to the news media and cover for Aftab at small speaking engagements, and some even consult and help train law enforcement. “These kids are Internet safety experts in their own right,” says Aftab. “They’ve done their own research projects . . . . They’re well briefed on all aspects of Internet safety.”

Some Teenangels consult with corporations and vendors to help them make their products and services safer for kids. One group of Teenangels consulted with Proctor & Gamble for their BeingGirl.com website, answering questions on safety. A group of British Teenangels worked with Microsoft product planners and helped inspire new safety features in MSN Space Groups products and services, which allows users to build their own blogs, according to Pam Portin, Microsoft’s director of MSN policy.

The program soon became so popular that it was adapted  for seven- to 12-year-olds as well. These tweens became known as Tweenangels.Aftab says the Tweenangels program is very promising. “The [Tweenangel] kids are incredible,” she says. “A seven-year-old talking about cyberbullying has a huge impact. People listen.” Those in the tween program don’t do as much hard research as the teens do, but they’re involved in other projects. Some have analyzed interactive game devices to make them safer for kids. And with cyberbullying starting at younger and younger ages, the Tweenangels have plenty of topics to talk about.

To start up a local chapter of Teenangels, a group of interested teens must find an adult who is willing to organize and lead the chapter. This adult can be a parent, teacher, or community leader, but the adult must become a member of WiredSafety.org and follow member guidelines. Adult moderators receive some minimal training (at no cost) and are in charge of overseeing the projects in their chapter. All teens must fill out a parental consent form and the teen applicant must be in good standing in school or an approved home schooling program.