FBI Phoenix
Brooke Brennan and Kevin Smith
(623) 466-1999
October 2, 2018

FBI Tech Tuesday: Safe Online Surfing 2018-2019 Internet Challenge is Open-Spanish Version Now Available

PHOENIX, AZ—As young people spend more and more time online doing homework, gaming, and connecting to peers, it is critical that we teach them how to protect both their personal information and their well-being.

With participation growing and a Spanish version now available, the FBI’s Safe Online Surfing (SOS) Internet Challenge is reopening for the new school year, offering a game-driven curriculum that teaches students about online risks.

The SOS program covers topics such as cyberbullying, protecting personal information, recognizing trustworthy and untrustworthy sites, and avoiding malware through age-appropriate activities. As part of the SOS program, students visit the island that aligns with their grade level and surf through activities that teach how to recognize hazards and respond appropriately. This year, for the first time, the entire curriculum is also available in Spanish.

This year, the top five online scams reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Arizona victims under the age of 20 are:

  • Non-payment/Non-Delivery
  • Use of Social Media as a means for fraud
  • Extortion
  • Personal Data Breach
  • Harassment/Threats of Violence

(Click here to see the IC3.Gov report and the full definitions of each scam)

The FBI-SOS Internet Challenge had a record level of participation during the 2017-2018 school year, with 906,104 students from schools in all 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands completing the program.

In Arizona last year, 6,669 students participated from 53 schools.

SOS activities are available to everyone, but teachers must register their classes to participate in the tests and competition.

Each month during the school year, the classes with the top exam scores nationwide receive an FBI-SOS certificate and may be congratulated in person by local FBI personnel.

Visit sos.fbi.gov to explore the Safe Online Surfing Internet Challenge activities and to register.