Young people, teachers and parents in Portugal are now able to access a new online educational programme that promotes best internet practice and addresses topics such as bullying and ‘sextorsion’.

The ‘GeraZão’ website, designed to promote the security and privacy of young people on the internet, is available at www.gerazao.org/.

The programme was created by Facebook in partnership with the Spain-based Cibervoluntarios foundation, with support from Portugal’s Seguranet portal overseen by the Directorate-General for Education and the Centro de Internet Segura run by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT).

Among the new website’s interactive content the ‘Z Challenge’ stands out – an “online itinerary” that shows users how to build a healthy and safe network, and ‘Escape Room Z’ – a game that affords an educational digital adventure.

Other materials available include a Facebook digital literacy library and Instagram training resources with guides on topics such as harassment, digital identity and personal branding.

"It is fundamental to Facebook that young people, parents and Portuguese teachers are able to safely use the Internet conscious of the risks that exist, and at the same time, of the security and privacy possibilities that social networks offer," explained Natalia Basterrechea, head of public policy for Facebook Spain and Portugal.

The new programme was launched following Facebook publishing a study on online behaviours of young people in Portugal, based on an online survey carried out in August with 1,000 young people aged between 14 and 19 taking part.

The study shows that 38 percent of the young people have at some time felt uncomfortable while surfing the internet and that 60 percent have reported situations on in social networks that they considered wrong.