Telenor to launch Safe-A-Thon

Every year Telenor Group celebrates relationships with its 211 million subscribers across its 13 business units as Customer First Day on September 29. On this year’s Customer First Day telenor announces Safe-A-Thon: a unique initiative towards creating awareness around safe internet practices and train its 53 million customers, school students, teachers and parents on the issue of safe Internet. Telenor Safe-A-Thon will include a campaign to stop digital bullying and encourage safe online habits among multiple stakeholders.

Shrinath Kotian, Circle Business Head-AP&TS, Telenor India said, “Responsible business practices are at the heart of how we do our business. Studies show that more than half of our children who are currently using the internet have faced some form of digital bullying at least once. Through initiatives like Safe-A-Thon and Webwise workshops, we want to help our future generations to become safe online and reinforce the power of digital as a meaningful resource for learning, socialising and entertainment. We are sure this campaign will help our customers build resilience against internet related risks and help them be careful online as they embark on their digital journey.”

As part of Safe-A-Thon, multiple activities will be organised across Telenor’s six circles and in Delhi to reach out to maximum number of customers, school children, parents and teachers. Telenor targets to reach out to over 10,000 school students through workshops on being safe from cyber harm and identify possible new online threats. In addition to these workshops, Telenor’s 400 Grahak Shiksha Kendras (Telenor stores) and Call Centre’s will train customers on digital skills. Telenor employees at these GSKs will use special modules, audio visuals aids and merchandising materials to make the training interesting and easy to understand.

On Customer First Day, safe internet camps would also be organised across retail stores to raise awareness on internet related risks and even the call centers will reach out to customers and educate them on ways to be safe from cyber harm. On this day Telenor employees will be out in the market interacting with customers' and spreading awareness on digital bullying through merchandising and information notes.

As part of its efforts to create local impact in areas where Telenor operates, a programme called WebWise was started in 2014. In this programme, trained Telenor employees conducts workshops in schools. Telenor India is working with Rakshit Tandon, a renowned cyber security expert and consultant, to create this modules and conduct workshops. Till now over 40,000 students have attended these sessions in 13 cities across India. On September 5 Telenor organised a safe Internet training programme for over 250 teachers in Agra.