Cyber safety awareness for first time Wi-Fi users in Urban communities

Africa has a fast growing information technology market where the rapid growth of mobile internet is aided by a drop in the cost of mobile handsets and wireless technologies. Improved wireless internet connectivity has enabled the use of mobile applications in assisting community members in banking, business, farming and healthcare. The City of Johannesburg provides free Wi-Fi to its residents in an attempt to build the capabilities of its residents and to train them to utilize and benefit from the broadband connections in their community areas. The Digital Ambassadors Programme is an initiative that employs Digital Ambassadors to train entrepreneurial youth in digital, business and life skills. These ambassadors then train residents in to access online services including banking, email, Facebook and job-search tools. However, it is important to educate people on cyber safety when teaching people to use technology for the first time given that people are naturally trusting and unaware of the dangers of the Internet. This paper discusses the cyber safety training material developed for the Digital Ambassadors and why cyber safety training is critically important when introducing residents to the advantages of the Internet.