Tag: Internet safety

Singapore – Singapore-headquartered SQREEM Technologies, a global digital behaviour aggregator company, has announced its definitive acquisition of Singapore’s TotallyAwesome, a contextual digital advertising platform specialising in youth marketing in the Asia-Pacific region.

The deal will integrate TotallyAwesome’s extensive reach of over 900 million users and human-curated whitelists with SQREEM’s proprietary AI technology to produce enhanced, precision-targeted web environments for young users and their families, significantly increasing safety in ad placements. 

Together, the pair will form the largest behaviour audience repository on the planet, reaching over 2.4 billion consumers in 80 countries.

Moreover, the acquisition strategically positions SQREEM to navigate the complex landscape of ethical youth marketing, especially as global conversations increasingly emphasise the responsible use of AI in targeting vulnerable audiences. 

By extending SQREEM’s product suite to include comprehensive, age-appropriate solutions, the purchase combines SQREEM’s advanced AI-driven behavioural database and TotallyAwesome’s robust understanding of youth audiences and their digital experiences across 14 key Asia-Pacific markets, offering brands and agencies an unparalleled ability to reach millions of young consumers and parents in a safe and compliant way.

The combined tech stack of SQREEM and TotallyAwesome will be accessible on a unified full-service platform, offering agencies significant cost reductions and improved operational margins. TotallyAwesome’s existing team, approximately 100 strong across key markets including Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Melbourne and Sydney will merge with SQREEM’s global workforce to streamline operational processes and expand market reach, enhancing efficiency and market competitiveness.

Ian Chapman-Banks, CEO of SQREEM, said, “SQREEM now offers the most comprehensive solution for advertising agencies and brands seeking to connect with youth audiences ethically and effectively. Our combination of tech and expertise will demonstrate how brands can precisely tailor their engagement with kids, teens and families while prioritising safety and trust.”

Meanwhile, Raja Kanniappan, CEO of TotallyAwesome, commented, “SQREEM’s acquisition of TotallyAwesome perfectly aligns with our strategy of curating high value audiences without cookies, drawing on our 9+ years of experience in marketing to kids, teens and families – and our more recent 18+ audience offering. With SQREEM’s cutting-edge AI technology solving the industry-wide challenge of activating against cookie-free intent-based audience segmentation, this union significantly strengthens both companies across all industry sectors.”

Singapore – The Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) has issued the ‘Code of Practice for Online Safety’, which mitigates risk of harmful social media content to Singaporeans, especially to children. In addition, the new code has also instructed platforms to not serve advertisements to accounts owned by children.

The categories of harmful content covered by the code are: sexual content, violent content, suicide and self-harm content, cyberbullying content, content endangering public health, and content facilitating vice and organised crime.

Through the new safety code, IMDA has ordered online platforms to apply age-appropriate policies to accounts belonging to children, including having a set of community guidelines appropriate for children, content moderation, and online safety information that children can easily understand. 

Moreover, local users will be empowered with tools to manage their own safety. These may include tools to hide harmful content and unwanted interactions, limit location sharing and the visibility of their accounts from other users.

“Tackling the threat of harmful online content is a global issue which requires a whole-of-society effort. The Singapore Government has strengthened our regulatory framework and will continue its efforts in ensuring that regulatory and public education measures can address the growing range of harmful online content and protect Singapore users against online harms. IMDA will continue to work closely with SMSs to enhance Singapore’s Online Safety,” IMDA said in a statement.

Manila, Philippines – Local telco giant Globe has launched a new portal called www.makeitsafe.ph which aims to educate and raise awareness within the public about internet safety, especially cyberbullying, which affects many young people.

The site includes a glossary that lists the most popular terms and emojis that the youth currently use in chats and social media. This urban dictionary can help parents and guardians detect if their children are being exposed to offensive language or being bullied online. 

In addition, the site also gives free access to eModules from the Digital Thumbprint Program (DTP), a series of workshops developed by Globe based on the Optus Digital Thumbprint in-school program in Australia. It aims to promote digital citizenship and cyber safety among the youth for a safe online experience. The e-modules may be used by teachers, parents, the youth, and the general public.

The site launch is aligned with Globe’s commitment to equitable access to quality education and the promotion of lifelong learning under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Yoly Crisanto, chief sustainability and corporate communications officer at Globe, said, “We would like the public to learn more about responsible online citizenship to keep netizens safe and protected from cyber violence, scammers, malicious attacks, and other online threats. At the same time, we are able to provide access to professional help if these concerns are already affecting their mental wellness.”

According to Globe, the site is crucial in bringing light into the safety of children online which largely rests upon those who watch over them. The site aims to arm parents, guardians and caregivers with the know-how that would enable them to get actively involved in teaching online safety and responsibility to children.