Be Internet Awesome
Product by Google
The Bottom Line
Partially. While Be Internet Awesome uses engaging gamification to introduce digital citizenship concepts, its reliance on multiple-choice trivia limits deep cognitive processing. The program excels at building foundational awareness of phishing, privacy, and online kindness, but lacks the spaced retrieval practice necessary to ensure long-term behavioral change in actual online environments.
Pros
- Uses scenario-based examples to help students identify phishing attempts and unsafe sharing practices.
- Provides immediate corrective feedback when learners select incorrect actions during minigames.
- Offers a comprehensive educator dashboard with blended learning lesson plans for classroom reinforcement.
- Reduces cognitive load by separating distinct digital citizenship themes into distinct, easily digestible game worlds.
Cons
- Relies heavily on recognition rather than recall, limiting the depth of memory encoding.
- Lacks spaced repetition mechanics to reinforce safety concepts over time.
- Does not simulate realistic social media environments where kids actually practice these skills.
- Fails to adapt difficulty based on individual student performance or prior knowledge.
What Do We Know About Be Internet Awesome?
Be Internet Awesome provides a strong, engaging introduction to online safety but requires supplementary parent-led discussion to cement true digital literacy. Your child will play through Interland, a visually appealing game world that introduces concepts like strong passwords, identifying scams, and cyberbullying prevention. The program relies heavily on gamification to capture attention, which effectively motivates learners but can sometimes overshadow the educational content. Because the game relies mostly on multiple-choice questions and simple platforming mechanics, it tests recognition rather than deep application of skills. The Learning Standard has not yet formally evaluated this program's efficacy data, but learning science indicates that these types of scenario-based lessons work best when paired with real-world practice. Parents should use the game as a springboard for conversations about digital habits rather than a standalone safety course. Without real-world context and spaced retrieval practice, your child may struggle to transfer the skills learned in the game to actual online environments like social media or multiplayer games.
How Does Be Internet Awesome Work?
Be Internet Awesome utilizes game-based learning and scenario-driven instruction to teach foundational digital citizenship. The core student experience happens within Interland, a browser-based game divided into four distinct worlds that each target a specific learning objective: password security, scam identification, mindful sharing, and online kindness. Your child navigates a character through these 3D environments, encountering obstacles that require them to answer multiple-choice questions or complete simple logic puzzles to progress. The program provides immediate feedback, correcting mistakes on the spot so learners understand why a particular password is weak or a specific email is a phishing attempt. For educators, the platform provides a blended learning curriculum consisting of slide decks, printable activities, and discussion prompts designed to move the learning from the screen to the classroom. This dual approach ensures that the gamified introduction is followed by direct instruction and peer discussion.
Strengths and tradeoffs of Be Internet Awesome
The biggest strength of Be Internet Awesome is its highly engaging, low-barrier entry to complex digital safety topics, while its biggest weakness is the lack of realistic simulation and spaced retrieval practice. The program brilliantly utilizes worked examples and scenario-based learning to make abstract threats like phishing and data privacy concrete for elementary and middle school students. By embedding these lessons in a polished, gamified environment, it sustains student attention and reduces the cognitive load typically associated with dense cybersecurity instruction. However, the game relies heavily on multiple-choice mechanics, which only demand recognition memory rather than the active recall required to build deep, lasting knowledge. Furthermore, because it does not use spaced repetition, students are likely to forget these safety protocols once they close the browser. The scenarios, while helpful, are cartoonish and do not mimic the actual interfaces of social media apps or text messages where kids face real digital dilemmas. Consequently, students may struggle with transfer of learning, failing to apply the game's lessons when confronting actual online bullying or scams.
Who Might Benefit From Be Internet Awesome?
Be Internet Awesome is best for elementary and middle school students who need a structured, highly visual introduction to basic digital citizenship and online safety. Designed for grades 3 through 8, it serves as an excellent starting point for kids who are just getting their first smartphone, email address, or social media account. Educators will find it highly useful as a supplementary activity that pairs with direct classroom instruction on cyberbullying and privacy. Parents looking for a conversational icebreaker regarding internet rules will benefit from playing alongside their child.
Data Transparency
Does Not Meet Data Transparency Standard
Be Internet Awesome does not meet our data transparency standard. Its privacy policy does not reference COPPA and does not reference FERPA.
10 of 35 checks passed
Evaluated July 2026
View privacy policy →View all 35 checks
Parent Access0/8
Does the policy mention parents specifically?
“The policy does not mention parents specifically in the provided text.”
Can parents view their child's data?
“The policy does not state whether parents can view their child's data.”
Can parents modify their child's data?
“The policy does not address whether parents can modify their child's data.”
Can parents delete their child's account?
“The policy does not mention whether parents can delete their child's account.”
Is there a dedicated Children's Privacy section?
“There is no dedicated Children's Privacy section in the provided text, only links to other policies.”
Does it reference COPPA compliance?
“The policy does not reference COPPA compliance.”
Does it reference FERPA compliance?
“The policy does not reference FERPA compliance.”
Is parental consent required for child accounts?
“The requirement for parental consent for child accounts is not mentioned.”
Data Portability3/5
Can users access their personal data?
“My Activity allows you to review and control data that’s saved to your Google Account”
Can users download/export their data?
“You can export a copy of content in your Google Account if you want to back it up”
Is there a self-service data access tool?
“Google Dashboard allows you to manage information associated with specific products.”
Is a specific data format mentioned for export?
“No specific data format for export (e.g., CSV, JSON) is mentioned.”
Is there an API for data access?
“The policy does not mention an API for data access.”
Data Minimization3/6
Is data collection itemized?
“The activity information we collect may include: Terms you search for Videos you watch”
Can the app be used without a real name?
“you can use many Google services when you’re signed out or without creating an account at all”
Can the app be used without an email?
“you can use many Google services when you’re signed out or without creating an account at all”
Does it state collection is limited to what is necessary?
“The policy does not explicitly state that data collection is limited to what is strictly necessary.”
Is IP address anonymized or truncated?
“The anonymization or truncation of IP addresses is not mentioned.”
Is location tracking explicitly excluded?
“Location tracking is explicitly performed (We collect location information when you use our services).”
Third-Party Protection1/7
Does it explicitly state no selling of data?
“The explicit phrase prohibiting the selling of data is not present in the provided text.”
Are third-party providers named?
“Specific third-party providers are not explicitly named in the text.”
Are providers contractually restricted?
“Contractual restrictions placed on third parties are not addressed in the policy.”
No-targeted-advertising commitment?
“The policy explicitly allows targeted ads (we may also show you personalized ads based on your interests).”
Is AI/ML data sharing addressed?
“While AI interactions are mentioned, the specific sharing of data for AI/ML purposes is not addressed.”
Child-specific sharing restriction?
“Child-specific data sharing restrictions are not detailed in this policy text.”
Cookies/tracking limited or opt-out?
“You can configure your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent.”
Deletion & Retention2/5
Can users delete their account?
“To delete your information, you can: ... Delete your entire Google Account”
Self-service deletion mechanism?
“To delete your information, you can: ... Delete your entire Google Account”
Specific data retention timeline?
“Specific timelines for data retention are not provided in the text.”
Auto-deletion of inactive accounts?
“Auto-deletion of inactive accounts is not mentioned; only an Inactive Account Manager feature is described.”
Post-deletion handling described?
“Post-deletion data handling processes are not described in the policy.”
Advertising1/4
Advertising model explicitly disclosed?
“Depending on your settings, we may also show you personalized ads based on your interests”
Free from third-party advertisements?
“The app is not free from third-party ads, as it discusses ad networks and campaigns.”
Children excluded from ad targeting?
“The exclusion of children from ad targeting is not addressed in this text.”
Ad-free option available?
“An ad-free option is not mentioned in the policy text.”
What This Means
The policy review did not meet our data transparency standard. The checks above show the documented findings and unknowns. A missing statement does not establish how the app handles data in practice.
About this evaluation: Based on automated analysis of Be Internet Awesome's privacy policy using the Common Sense Privacy Program framework. Results describe the policy disclosures we assessed; unknown checks are excluded from scores. Privacy policies can change. This review reflects the version we analyzed and does not determine legal compliance.
Sources and review method
TLS combines product information and editorial analysis to explain how Be Internet Awesome works, its tradeoffs, and the questions to ask before choosing it. Product features, an instructional rationale and evidence of learning outcomes are different kinds of information.
Formal Learning Standard assessment: not yet completed. Data Transparency findings are reported separately and do not establish learning effectiveness. Read our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions About Be Internet Awesome
Is Be Internet Awesome free?
Yes, Be Internet Awesome is completely free for both families and educators. Google provides the Interland game, along with all associated lesson plans, slide decks, and printable resources, at no cost and without any in-app purchases or subscriptions.
Is Be Internet Awesome good for elementary students?
Yes, the program is specifically designed for students in grades 3 through 8. The cartoonish graphics, simplified vocabulary, and straightforward platforming mechanics make the concepts of data privacy and phishing highly accessible for younger learners without overwhelming them with technical jargon.
What does Be Internet Awesome teach?
Be Internet Awesome teaches foundational digital citizenship, focusing on five core pillars: sharing with care, avoiding online scams, securing passwords, practicing digital kindness, and communicating openly with adults about online experiences. It does not teach technical computer science or coding.
Is Be Internet Awesome safe for kids?
Yes, Be Internet Awesome is incredibly safe. It is a closed, browser-based environment with no social interaction, chat features, or user-generated content. It requires no personal information or account creation to play, ensuring complete data privacy for your child.
How does Be Internet Awesome compare to Common Sense Education?
While Be Internet Awesome relies heavily on gamification and a polished 3D world to introduce safety concepts, Common Sense Education offers a more comprehensive, traditional curriculum with deeper dives into media literacy and digital well-being. Google's program is more self-directed for kids, whereas Common Sense is primarily educator-led.
Has The Learning Standard evaluated Be Internet Awesome?
Be Internet Awesome is currently pending evaluation by our research team. While we have analyzed its pedagogical approach here, we have not yet run it through our formal rubrics. You can read more about how we rate educational efficacy in our methodology section.
Is Be Internet Awesome COPPA compliant?
A COPPA reference was not found in the reviewed privacy policy. This does not determine whether the app complies with COPPA. Policy review note: The policy does not reference COPPA compliance.
Is Be Internet Awesome FERPA compliant?
A FERPA reference was not found in the reviewed privacy policy. This does not determine whether the app complies with FERPA. Policy review note: The policy does not reference FERPA compliance.
Does Be Internet Awesome have a children's privacy policy?
No dedicated children's privacy section was found in the reviewed policy. Policy review note: There is no dedicated Children's Privacy section in the provided text, only links to other policies.
Does Be Internet Awesome sell student data?
A statement ruling out data selling was not found in the reviewed policy. This does not establish that the app sells student data. Policy review note: The explicit phrase prohibiting the selling of data is not present in the provided text.
Can you delete your data from Be Internet Awesome?
The reviewed privacy policy describes account deletion. We have not tested the deletion process. Policy review note: To delete your information, you can: ... Delete your entire Google Account
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- Pricing
- Free
- Platforms
- Web Browser, iPadOS (Apple tablet), Android (Google mobile), Other
- Grade Levels
- 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade
- Website
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