The Shaw Rocket Fund is gearing up to launch the Rocket Online Safety Program, a new kids digital safety program that will help Canadian producers create a safe environment for kids within digital platforms and experiences.

Set to launch in September 2018, the program will focus on social networks, virtual worlds, educational services, online game sites, mobile apps, tablet devices and connected toys. Working in partnership with the kidSAFE Seal Program, an independent safety certification service designed for kid-friendly tech and websites, the new program will ensure that any Canadian digital content that receives a Rocket Fund investment be certified with a kidSAFE seal.

The program is available to all Canadian producers of kids digital content and Rocket Fund will finance the full cost of the kidSAFE Seal Certification over the first year of the program. Rocket Fund will also provide up to 75% of funding assistance for digital certifications required outside of Canada such as the EU’s GDPR regulations or the US’s COPPA legislation. More information is available on the Shaw Rocket Fund website.

Agnes Augustin, president and CEO of the Shaw Rocket Fund, and kidSAFE Seal founder Shai Samet made the announcement at the Banff World Media Festival yesterday.

As people begin to demand more safety and security online, as exhibited by Common Sense’s new research that found nine out of 10 parents and teens say sites need to label what data they collect and how it’s used, tech companies are responding with new solutions. UK digital platform SuperAwesome also released the SafeFam certification program earlier this year. Aimed at brands and creators on YouTube, the program will train, assess and review a creator’s online material to ensure it is appropriate and follows employment laws.