What do Finn the fox, an emergency-landed spaceship, and an adventure game app for children have to do with the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security? If the start-up Foldio has its way, quite a bit.
On Monday, February 15, the start-up released the app adventure "Ein Fuchs im Netz." (Literally "a fox on the net") In the game, children aged 7 and older slip into the role of Finn the fox, who has to deal with smartphones, the Internet, and social networks for the first time. In this way, the adventure familiarizes young users with the basics of IT security, data protection, and privacy on the Internet in a playful way. In this game, children have to deal with secure passwords, learn about the pitfalls of social media networks, and are sensitized to topics such as cyber bullying.
"The year 2020 has shown us how important digitization is and how much catching up there still needs to be done here, especially in education," explains Alexandra Schönborn in a Foldio press release.
At CISPA, there is a special focus on promoting start-ups. One of the eight young teams currently receiving support from CISPA at various levels is Foldio from Saarbrücken. The team behind the new app is dedicated to digital education for children. The young company aims to make the digital world tangible for children through its products.
"With "Fuchs im Netz", we as a CISPA start-up incubator are supporting a high-potential and meaningful project that addresses children at a very early age in order to familiarize them with the digital world. This is not only about the use of digital tools, but much more about safe use, data protection, and awareness of potential dangers within the digital world. This is a great opportunity to bring our world-class research and expertise to society and create added value," says Marc Schickhaus of the CISPA incubator.
"Ein Fuchs im Netz" will be available for iOS and Android devices from February 15, 2021 (regular price €5.49, limited introductory price: €3.49).
The text was translated by: Oliver Schedler