Web Rangers is a digital literacy project designed to allow young people to gain critical skills and knowledge around online safety. Young people then use these skills and knowledge to create innovative campaigns that promote safe internet usage and champion their rights in the digital world.
The Web Rangers programme was launched in South Africa in 2016 with the aim to improve participants’ digital literacy skills and empower them to take ownership of their digital footprint. The programme has developed to ensure that in addition to creating and promoting awareness around safe and responsible internet usage, it also empowers young people with critical media literacy skills. A core strength of the programme is that young people learn and empower other young people to use the internet responsibly, positively and engage with news and information in a sceptical manner.
The programme is grounded in the belief that when young people possess digital and media literacy skills, they can develop their own capabilities and become active citizens who contribute to the development of this country. Further to this, they can have the skills to self-regulate and protect themselves from risk and potential harm including cyber-bullying and inappropriate sexual conduct online.
The programmes objectives are to:
What’s News
Invite: Web Rangers hold the powerful to account on child online safety!
With COVID-19 regulations enforcing physical distancing and limited activity outside our homes - children are turning to social media for both online schooling and play, and oftentimes without the necessary digital literacy skills to successfully navigate the internet. Join us during Child Protection Week [...]
The 2020 Web Rangers programme!
The 2020 Web Rangers programme started with the successful launch of the 2020 Web Rangers Programme, on Safer Internet Day (SID), 11 February 2020. The programme was launched in Rustenburg, bringing together civil society, children, educators, government and the private sector to promote online [...]
Web Ranger 2019 activities
Reflections from the coordinator: We started this incredible journey with the first set of Web Rangers in July 2016. It was all new to us as partners but also first if its kind for many of the young people we recruited. Together we had [...]
