Get Safe Online Pacific hopes that having a website in the Samoan language will greatly increase its effectiveness in raising awareness of online safety and security issues.
“We’re thrilled to be launching these local language websites,” said Jenny Thornton, Head of International Relations for Get Safe Online.
“We see these sites as the natural evolution of our efforts to share online safety and security messages with the people of the Pacific. When we launched the local language version of the Rwanda website in Africa just before Christmas, we received an amazing response. We’re hoping for the same excitement here in the Pacific.”
Get Safe Online Pacific is a project of the UK-based organisation Get Safe Online, which has been successfully promoting online safety in the United Kingdom for 14 years.
The Get Safe Online websites provide simple, helpful tips on a wide range of online security issues. From password protection to ensuring that financial transactions are safe, the nine Pacific island websites have been extremely popular and are visited by a wide range of users – from business owners to students and fishermen. The launch of the Samoan language site is supported by the British High Commission in Samoa.
David Ward, the British High Commissioner comments, “The risk from crime and misinformation is growing all the time. Even the most sensible people can be victims. But with a few basic steps we can become more alert and start to protect ourselves from that risk. I am delighted that Get Safe Online is now launching its Samoan language website to help Samoans take those basic precautionary steps, and I hope it will help a lot of users to become safer and more confident in the online world we all now live in.”
Chief Executive Officer for the Samoa Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Fualau Talatalaga Mata’u Matafeo, states that Samoa continues to create strong relations with the United Kingdom through the British High Commission to Samoa. Fualau wishes to congratulate the Get Safe Online Pacific for the launching of this web page in Samoan language.
“Having information available in our local language facilitates learning and encourages communities to seek help. No matter how useful these online safety measures are, if people do not understand, it won’t create a positive impact.” This platform is another exciting milestone for Samoa in raising the level of its cybersecurity awareness, and as the Hon. Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Afioga Afamasaga Toeolesulusulu Lepuia’i Rico Tupai’s has continuously spoken about that “Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, and this calls upon all internet users, to be vigilant and informed about online threats, and how their own actions can be the first line of defence.”
For the past eight months, websites in English have been operating in nine Pacific Island countries who are members of the Commonwealth of Nations. The service is completely free to users.
Photo source British High Commission in Samoa Office, Apia