Over 9,000 young people nationwide have been trained in basic online safety practices as a result of a comprehensive online safety training program for Vietnamese youth launched by the Vietnam Youth Federation and its partner Google since August 2023.

Vietnamese youth share online safety practices with their elders. Photos: Google

The information was released on November 30 at the forum "Empowering the Pioneering Role of Youth in Digital Transformation" under the Vietnam Youth Federation's "Cyber Security in the Digital Environment" program.

The development of the Internet has changed the face of many industries and helped Vietnam develop a strong digital economy, according to the Vietnam Youth Federation. However, it can also be used to the detriment of users.

According to the Authority of Information Security (AIS), online fraud in Vietnam increased by 64.78% in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period last year. Especially in the current year, the trend of online fraud has shifted to focus on the elderly, children, students, and low-income earners.

Understanding the urgency of building a shield to protect the community and supporting government agencies in improving citizens' digital skills, the Vietnam Youth Federation has rolled out the "Cyber Security in the Digital Environment" program to equip Vietnamese youth with online safety knowledge and skills to protect themselves and the community online.

After completing the program, the trained youth volunteers in ten provinces and cities have taught over 6,700 elderly people about online safety through local community activities. The Online Safety Handbook provided by Google is used as the training material for the course.

Delegates attend the event.

Speaking at the forum, Hoang Tuan Viet, a member of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Federation, said that if every young person understands their pioneering role in digital transformation, they will help the whole community to ensure  information security and prevent harmful information on the internet. 

"This will help the entire community to be more confident in using the Internet and sharing their life and work experiences, thus "taking the good, getting rid of the bad, and making the Internet a more reliable place," he stressed.

Marc Woo, Managing Director for Vietnam at Google Asia Pacific, said that as more people turn to the Internet for everyday tasks, it's important that everyone is aware of cyber threats such as scams and the steps they can take to protect themselves from bad actors.

"Vietnam has a vibrant youth population who are savvy digital natives. Our collaboration with the Vietnam Youth Federation will train young people on digital safety and online fraud prevention, empowering youth leaders with the knowledge to combat cyber threats and serve as online safety champions in their communities, paving the way for a safer digital world for all."

Google will provide 500 Cybersecurity Career Certificates to members of the Vietnam Youth Federation to help them prepare for jobs in the cybersecurity field. The certificates, developed by Google experts, will demonstrate that students have the skills to identify risks, manage vulnerabilities, and use advanced security tools. The program also prepares students to take the CompTIA Security+ exam, a leading industry certification for cybersecurity roles. In addition, Google has awarded 500 scholarships for cybersecurity training to Vietnamese youth to promote safer online interactions.