WonderNet, in partnership with Cyber Safety Change Agent and SaveTNet founder Rianette Leibowitz, has debuted the Cyber Wellness for WonderNet campaign, to highlight cyber safety and the importance of healthy digital habits.
WonderNet is Seacom’s fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) and fibre-to-the-small-business service provider.
The parties hope to educate users about the importance of online safety, and enable them to be responsible digital citizens. The initiative will focus on cyber wellness in the home, office and at school.
According to WonderNet, while consumers might be familiar with terms such as cyber security, cyber attacks, and cyber bullying, ‘cyber wellness’ is fairly new.
But as the lines blur between our physical and digital lives, WonderNet says the concept needs to be understood and applied. The campaign aims to demystify cyber wellness, providing trusted information and practical tools on how to create healthy digital habits.
Content will be available on the WonderNet website, including articles, videos, and tip sheets, on topics ranging from how to manage screen time to digital detox tips, as well as information on the most recent phishing scams and suchlike.
On Cyber Wellness Wednesdays tips will be shared, and customers can participate in conversations and explore monthly topics further in quarterly Cyber Awareness webinars (open to the WonderNet community).
Leibowitz will present monthly school talks and a variety of community outreach programmes.
A responsibility to educate
Matthew Campbell, head of SME and FTTH at Seacom, says: “We have a responsibility to educate people about the products we sell, and enable them to use them safely. At the moment, ISPs aren’t doing enough to create awareness around safe digital habits and cyber wellness.”
He adds that with the number of connected homes in SA expected to rise from 38% currently to 49% in five years, that needs to change.
“There are dire consequences to unhealthy digital habits andt o protect our customers we need to keep them informed. We can’t simply focus on the bottom line.”
As a champion for cyber awareness and wellness, Leibowitz brings knowledge and expertise to the initiative. Her business was established to drive awareness around safe digital habits and help victims of cyber crimes.
Cyber bullying rife in SA
A 2018 report by research company Ipsos revealed that SA ranked highest in the world for the prevalence of cyber bullying, with more than half (54%) of parents surveyed claiming to know at least one child in their community who had been a victim of this scourge.
The Cyber Wellness for WonderNet campaign hopes to address this issue, as well as the many other negative consequences of unsafe digital habits, from overstimulation and reputation damage to burnout.
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