LONDON – February 9, 2016 – AVG Technologies (NYSE: AVG), the online security company™ providing leading software and services to secure devices, data and people, and The Scout Association, announced today the start of a new initiative aimed at encouraging young people to think before posting or sharing their pictures, videos or texts. Today’s launch of Take 6, or #tk6 is focused on helping people make more informed decisions online with a small, but significant, behaviour change.

In a society where communication via mobile and social media is immediate, many people do not give much thought to ramifications of sending that text or that image. #tk6 is built on the idea that people should stop to think before posting or sending, essentially encouraging them to “take six seconds” before making that decision.

There are three options for the #tk6 community to tackle their very own ‘six-second challenge’:

• Six Seconds of Silence: With the help of their friends and fellow Scouts, we challenge children to record a video showing the action of counting to six in silence, to symbolise the six seconds of thinking before you post.
• The Lemon Challenge: Accepting the nomination, brave the bitterness to bite into a lemon for six seconds, then nominate six more people to take the challenge.
• Be Prepared: Create six-second videos illustrating The Scouts’ “Be Prepared” motto to represent the time needed to stop and think about a decision in the digital world.

Challenges will be accepted via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, when posted with #tk6.

The AVG Technologies and The Scout Association partnership sees the development of the #tk6 platform, supported by social media, designed to offer three, key interactions:

1. Connect– building a community
2. Discover– embed #tk6 into behavioural consciousness
3. Engage– source and share relevant and entertaining content

Introducing this programme with The Scout Association and its extensive network, the “take six seconds” challenge empowers digitally savvy young people to make real change to their online behaviour. The programme creates a forum, where they can openly share some of the key issues in their world, learn from each other, and make better decisions for the future. When surveying the landscape of online content today, the vast majority of it is targeted to the parents or is talking down to kids. We want to create a place online where youth can positively influence each other, rather than listening to (or more likely ignoring) lectures from adults. With the right tools, and just a little bit of time to think before they act (say, six seconds), young people can be more responsible than we give them credit for.

“AVG is proud to be adding the #tk6 campaign to our #smartuser initiative,” said Tony Anscombe, Senior Security Evangelist at AVG Technologies. “The #smartuser initiative aims to educate and empower people, helping ensure they receive information about online responsibilities with the right content at the right time. Partnering with The Scout Association will introduce #tk6 to millions of UK-based Scouting, and indirectly, non-Scouting, individuals to play an active part in this.”

“Together, we will seek to create a #tk6 community where relevant brands, influencers and organisations can engage,” said Alex Killick, Corporate Partnerships Manager at The Scout Association. “Our aim is for this partnership to deliver the shared space, not just to create a community, but to give the community the opportunity to share the key issues they face.”

 

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About AVG Technologies N.V. (NYSE: AVG):

AVG is the leading provider of software services to secure devices, data and people. AVG’s award-winning consumer portfolio includes internet security, performance optimization, location services, data controls and insights, and privacy and identity protection, for mobile devices and desktops. The AVG Business portfolio, delivered through a global partner network, provides cloud security and remote monitoring and management (RMM) solutions that protect small and medium businesses around the world. For more information visit www.avg.com.

 

About the Smart User Initiative:

The Smart User Initiative is a growing global digital coalition of individuals, businesses and brands working together to help prepare the next wave of digital citizens to be safer, happier and more productive online. Our aim is to nurture and enable the next four billion smart phone users to have the digital skills needed to enjoy the Internet and the digital world without compromising themselves or others. When people get their first smart phone it doesn’t come with an instruction manual to teach them the “dos and don’ts” of digital safety to protect themselves from identity theft, privacy breeches, cyberbullying and more. The Smart User Initiative uses entertaining and engaging content that’s accessible right where the users need it to create a place where anyone can get involved from simple association right through to active participation.

http://www.take6.org/

 

About Scouting:

The Scout Association was founded on 1 August 1907.

Adventure is at the core of Scouting, and the Association passionately believes in helping their members fulfil their full physical, intellectual, social and spiritual potential by working in teams, learning by doing and thinking for themselves.

Over 200 activities are offered by Scouting around the UK, made possible by the efforts of 100,000 voluntary adult leaders. This has helped make Scouting the largest co-educational youth movement in the UK.

One of the challenges that the Scout Movement faces is finding more volunteers to plug the current gap.  At present there are over 35,000 young people on waiting lists as more and more young people want to experience the adventure of Scouting.

Studies have shown Scout Leaders contribute the equivalent of 37 million hours voluntary work every year which is the equivalent of £380 million pounds worth of unpaid youth work.

Worldwide Scouting has more than 31 million male and female members and operates in nearly every country in the world.

In January 2012 the Duchess of Cambridge started to volunteer with the Scout Movement with her local group in North Wales.

91% of Scout volunteers and 88% of youth members say that Scouting has helped them develop key skills for life. *

In 2012 Scouting was voted the UK’s most inspirational and practical charity. *

*Source nfpSynergy Brand Attributes Survey, May 2012 and PACE Members survey 2011

 

Contact:

 AVG: Tony Mays
Tel: +44 7852 776936
Email: [email protected]

 Press information: http://now.avg.com