Unlocking the Safer Internet Initiative

Internet Society Online Safety Community – 1 May 2026

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Speakers: Dan York – Senior Director, Online Trust and Safety, Internet Society; Jeff Wilbur – Senior Director, Online Trust, Internet Society; Kevin Chege – Senior Director, Internet Development, Internet Society; John Perrino – Senior Policy and Advocacy Expert, Internet Society

Moderator: Godsway Kubi – Lead Facilitator, Internet Society Online Safety Community

Godsway Kubi opened the session by framing the discussion as both an introduction to the Internet Society’s Safer Internet Initiative and a practical entry point for participation. He emphasized that the session was intended to move beyond awareness, helping participants understand how they can engage and where they fit within the initiative.

He described the initiative as a global, multi-year effort (2026–2029) aimed at strengthening online trust, safety, and cybersecurity. He pointed to growing risks—including scams, misinformation, and privacy violations—as drivers of the work, noting that these are increasingly affecting user confidence in the Internet. He stressed that the objective is not only to support individuals, but to shift responsibility toward systems and platforms through what he described as “safety by design.”

He introduced the main areas of activity:

• Funding for impact, including mechanisms such as the Common Good Cyber Fund

• Capacity building and education, including training and anti-scam efforts

• Advocacy and broader ecosystem engagement

Throughout, he highlighted that the initiative is designed to be community-driven and that practical pathways for involvement would be a focus of the session.

Introductions and Roles

As the discussion moved forward, Godsway Kubi invited the speakers to introduce themselves and their roles in the initiative.

Dan York described his work on the Online Trust and Safety Hub, referencing earlier community consultations that informed its development. Jeff Wilbur introduced his leadership of a Safer Internet project and his background in encryption and trust-related work. Kevin Chege, joining from Nairobi, outlined his role co-leading the Online Trust and Safety program and indicated he would focus on capacity-building activities. John Perrino introduced his work in policy and advocacy, supporting efforts to promote a secure and trustworthy Internet and contributing to the Online Safety SIG.

Strategic Overview of the Initiative

Jeff Wilbur then provided a broader view of how the Safer Internet Initiative fits within the Internet Society’s overall strategy. He explained that the initiative aligns with two central goals in the 2030 strategy: connecting the unconnected and protecting the connected, with this work focused on the latter.

He described the initiative as bringing together funding, training, and advocacy in a coordinated way, rather than treating them as separate pillars. In his explanation, these elements are intended to reinforce one another, while creating a structure that allows both ISOC and its partners to scale existing work.

He outlined key components of the initiative:

• Development of online education and training resources

• Creation of the Online Trust and Safety Hub

• Advocacy work linked to secure and trustworthy Internet policies

• Funding streams supporting infrastructure, high-risk communities, and resilience

• Community-facing grants and engagement opportunities

Wilbur connected these elements to the 2026 action plan, noting planned activities such as publishing new resources, developing community trainer toolkits, launching the hub, and advancing anti-scam initiatives. He also indicated that the initiative is supported by a combination of ISOC and donor funding, with more than $40 million expected to be directed toward these efforts over time.

Capacity Building and Learning Materials

Kevin Chege expanded on the Online Trust and Safety program, explaining that it was launched in January 2025 following extensive engagement with ISOC chapters and partners. Rather than defining priorities internally, he described how the team gathered input to identify the most urgent gaps in online safety knowledge.

He emphasized that the program focuses on “recently connected” users, including new Internet users, elderly individuals, and those in constrained environments, who may face greater exposure to online risks.

Based on community input, nine priority topics were identified:

• Avoiding scams

• What to do after clicking suspicious links

• Identifying secure websites

• Using VPNs

• Improving privacy

• Password management

• Multi-factor authentication

• Identifying misinformation

• Protecting devices and identifying secure apps

Chege explained that these topics are addressed through short-form videos and supporting materials available via ISOC Learn in English, Spanish, and French. He described pilot workshops conducted in Brazil, El Salvador, Rwanda, and the Asia-Pacific region, which helped refine both the content and the delivery model.

He also outlined how the program supports community trainers through toolkits:

• A trainer toolkit to help design and structure sessions based on audience needs

• A delivery toolkit providing scenario-based content for use during training

Looking ahead, he described plans to expand training activities, develop anti-scam resources, and build the Online Trust and Safety Hub as a centralized platform for safety-related materials. He also noted that ongoing listening sessions will be used to identify emerging issues from the community.

From Strategy to Local Implementation

Returning to the community perspective, Godsway Kubi shared an example from Ghana, where a youth-led online safety initiative has been implemented across ten universities. He explained that the program uses ISOC Learn materials alongside facilitator-led sessions and operates through a campus ambassador model.

He described how students were trained and then supported to lead activities within their institutions, presenting this as an example of how the initiative can be adapted and scaled locally through community engagement.

Funding Pathways and Opportunities

Jeff Wilbur then outlined the main funding mechanisms available under the initiative, presenting them as different entry points depending on the scale and nature of the work.

He described Beyond the Net grants as a broad and accessible program supporting community-led projects, including online safety initiatives.

He then discussed Global Encryption Day grants, noting that they support events tied to the annual October 21 observance. He indicated that:

• Applications will open in June

• Approximately 22–28 grants are expected

• Grants will be larger than in previous years, at around $3,000 each

Wilbur then focused on the Common Good Cyber Fund, describing it as a more structured funding mechanism aimed at supporting cybersecurity nonprofits. He explained that the fund was developed in response to the challenges these organizations face, particularly the need to spend significant time securing funding rather than delivering services.

He outlined three areas of focus:

• Maintaining critical cybersecurity infrastructure

• Supporting users facing digital harm, including state-directed threats

• Improving safety for vulnerable communities

He noted that approximately $3.5 million will be distributed in 2026, with grants ranging from $100,000 to $300,000. He also indicated that applications will open on June 23 and close on August 4. He referenced organizations funded in a previous round, including Access Now, CyberPeace Institute, Global Cyber Alliance, Internet Security Research Group, and Shadowserver.

Audience Q&A

The discussion then shifted to questions from participants, focusing on engagement, funding access, and partnerships.

Confidence Osein (Founder, Internet Safe Kids Africa) asked how individuals can become involved beyond applying for funding and raised concerns that funding opportunities tend to favor larger organizations. Kevin Chege responded that ISOC chapters provide a primary pathway for engagement and that the available toolkits and learning materials are intended to support grassroots training efforts. Jeff Wilbur acknowledged that some funding programs are more restrictive and noted that smaller organizations may participate through partnerships or sub-granting arrangements, while other grant programs have fewer barriers.

Peter Mmbando (Founder & Executive Director, Digital Agenda for Tanzania Initiative) asked about applying across multiple funding streams and how to structure support for ongoing activities. Jeff Wilbur indicated that applying to multiple programs may be possible, depending on program-specific rules, and suggested follow-up for clarification.

Emmanuel Goodglory (Founder & CEO, Techness Media Network, Ghana) asked about partnership opportunities for a training initiative targeting female teachers. Kevin Chege advised that working through the local ISOC chapter is the most effective approach and offered to assist with connecting him to the appropriate contacts.

Additional questions addressed infrastructure-related funding and how training materials can be adapted across regions. Kevin Chege explained that the toolkits are designed to be flexible and can be adapted to different contexts and levels of technical capacity.

Closing Remarks

In closing, Kevin Chege thanked participants and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration with the community. Jeff Wilbur encouraged participants to explore funding opportunities and suggested reconvening later in the year as more elements of the initiative are implemented.

Dan York noted that the Online Trust and Safety Hub is under development and that the community will be invited to review and provide feedback before its public release. John Perrino highlighted the importance of community input and expressed appreciation for the level of engagement.

Godsway Kubi concluded by reiterating that the initiative is community-driven and that participation from members is essential. He noted that follow-up resources and links would be shared and encouraged participants to stay engaged through ISOC community channels and upcoming sessions.

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RESOURCES

• Safer Internet Initiative — Internet Society’s $40M+ multi-year program (2026–2029) to strengthen online trust and safety globally

• Common Good Cyber Fund — $3.5M grant program for cybersecurity nonprofits, open call 23 June – 4 August 2026

• Common Good Cyber Initiative — broader ecosystem behind the Fund, led by Global Cyber Alliance

• Global Encryption Day Events grants — 22–28 grants of ~$3,000 each, applications opening late June 2026

• Beyond the Net Grant Program — Internet Society Foundation funding for chapter projects

• Online Trust and Safety program — capacity building, learning materials, and the upcoming Online Trust and Safety Hub (launching H2 2026)

• Internet Society Learning — free self-paced courses in English, French, and Spanish covering the nine online safety topics

• Online Safety Community — Group Godsway Kubi leads as Lead Facilitator

• Let’s Encrypt — free TLS certificates from Internet Security Research Group, on track to secure 1B websites in 2026

• Internet Society 2030 Strategy — the strategic frame (”connect the unconnected, protect the connected”) under which the Safer Internet Initiative sits