Acronis Cyber Safety Education for Children

"Cyber Safety Education for Children" is an initiative driven by Acronis employees across six European countries - Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Romania, Serbia, and Switzerland. Some events have taken place with the support of other organisations, namely the City Hall of Cinisello Balsamo in Italy, the Romanian Banking Institute (CertSIGN), Neoteck in Romania and gotec! in Switzerland. 

The aim of the initiative is to 

Background and context 

In an increasingly interconnected world, children are amongst the most active digital citizens. Yet, too often they are amongst the most vulnerable ones too. As the OECD notes in a recent report, children often lack the knowledge and skills needed to navigate online environments in a safe and responsible way, and may not fully understand intent hidden behind certain content or means of digital interaction. They can also be exposed to content that is age-appropriate. Finally, there is the concern increased screen time results in a poorer physical health and mental well-being. 

Nowadays, formal education is often slow to provide practical digital safety training, tailored to one's age. Here is where Acronis's expertise is particularly useful - together with the organisation's network of volunteers - the company's efforts want to see cybersecurity education made available and accessible to everyone. When up to 40% of tech-savvy youth fall victim to phishing scams, cyber threats have become a normal part of one's digital life. Close to 80% of young people see online scams at least once a month, 45% encounter them every week, and another 20% experience this every day. These figures highlight how pervasive these threats have become - and the repercussions that follow. Beyond financial losses, children who were scammed often face emotional distress: a 2009 meta-analysis of the EU Kids Online survey (ages 9–16 across 25 countries) found that cyber harassment affects 10% to 52% of young people, with a median rate of 18% reporting they were “bullied/harassed/stalked” online or via mobile phones.

Against this backdrop, the cyber protection company Acronis launched the "Cyber Safety Education for Children” initiative. The project empowers kids with essential digital skills and responsible online behaviour, protecting them from cyber threats while fostering informed digital citizenship. It consists of interactive classes organised by Acronis employees that address issues like online scams, phishing, cyberbullying, and other growing cyberthreats by delivering age-appropriate, engaging content that builds awareness and safe online habits in kids.

Main objectives 

The initiative aims to equip children aged 4-18 with essential digital safety skills through age-appropriate, engaging content. Key objectives include raising awareness about online threats, promoting safe online behaviour, and encouraging open communication with trusted adults. Since its launch in March 2023, the goal has been to reach at least 1,000 children by the end of 2025 across 5 European countries through online and offline sessions. By July 2025, 2,236 children in six countries have already been trained. Success is measured by the number of participants, engagement during sessions, feedback from teachers and children, and increased digital literacy levels further observed by the teachers. Additional milestones include expanding volunteer involvement and strengthening partnerships with local schools and cybersecurity experts. Further, Acronis sets a goal to reach 5,000 children by 2030 in a minimum of 10 European countries and engage a minimum of 5 more business partners.

Why is this a good practice? 

Since its launch in 2023, Acronis has led engaging cyber safety events for kids in Bulgaria, Italy, Germany, Romania, Serbia, and Switzerland. The activities include lectures, quizzes, and other interactive classes for school children. They are tailored to specific age groups, delivered in local languages, and contain gamified quizzes and practical tips. The classes are organised and delivered by Acronis employees, and some of the sessions were co-hosted by partner organisations. Topics of the classes include but not limited to: 

• Spotting online threats (phishing, scams, fake shops)
• Safeguarding personal data and privacy
• Cyberbullying, building digital empathy and resilience -
• Encouraging communication with trusted adults 

By building awareness and confidence, these lessons help children recognise and avoid harm. Within just two years, the initiative has succeeded to reach 2,236 children across six European countries, with 64 interactive sessions have taken place. 

Notably, the program has been replicated with success on a global scale, with activities and events to encourage cyber awareness in children taking place across 3 continents. Cyber safety activities for children have been held in 13 countries to date: Brazil, Bulgaria, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Romania, Serbia, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey, and the USA, reaching over 3,500 children. The initiative continues to grow, with materials currently being localised into French for use in France and Canada. Acronis employees are also engaged into growing the initiative further, exploring opportunities for local implementation. 

There are also plans to scale up, involving more schools and engaging employees in new locations. A similar program for senior citizens is also in the works: Acronis has taken part in 5 sessions of "Cyber Security: Introduction for Seniors', led by the Romanian National Institute for Active Aging, reaching over 500 people. Scalability is ensured by coordinated dissemination of a free educational toolkit "CSR in a box", enabling partners to host their own cyber safety sessions using Acronis-developed content. The provision of accessible and adaptable resources, the initiative gets a boost to expand to empower more local communities with the key skills linked to online safety. 

The "Cyber Safety for Children" project, a flagship initiative of Acronis, is also going to continue receiving funding. The Acronis Cyber Safety initiative brings digital safety to children in a simple, relatable way - using real-life examples, stories, games, and interactive tools. Kids learn to recognise scams and deepfakes, protect their data, and navigate the internet safely through scenarios drawn from their everyday lives.