Do you want to contribute to the digital resilience of your neighbourhood? Become a digital ambassador!
The Municipality of The Hague and the Police Unit The Hague are looking for the help of digital ambassadors. These ambassadors are residents who help to make information on (the prevention of) cybercrime and digitalized crime more accessible to their local network and neighbourhood. Digital safety has become increasingly important, especially with more and more people working from home during this pandemic. It means they spend more time online, being behind their computer, phone or tablet. This increases the risk of becoming a victim of digitalized crime, such as online fraud or fake web shops.
A lot of information on improving online safety is currently already available, national media also devote a lot of attention to digital safety. However, this information does not reach everyone. The elderly and small entrepreneurs remain vulnerable. Providing information on cyber resilience might be more effective when shared by neighbours you know, compared to just seeing it on the television. Particularly when people are not very familiar with technological developments yet, having someone nearby providing information can be extra beneficial.
A digital ambassador can for example contact a local soccer club, to ask if they are willing to share a piece on WhatsApp fraud in their newsletter. Spreading information through these small-scale actions can help enlarge people’s knowledge and awareness on digital safety. Hopefully this will encourage them to take action to improve their digital resilience. Furthermore, extra attention will be given to entrepreneurs. They usually do not have the resources to hire cyberexperts and may find it difficult to know where to start. A digital ambassador can support them, for instance by telling them where they can find information to secure their website.
This new project starts in several neighbourhoods in Loosduinen, Escamp and Leidschenveen-Ypenburg. The aim is to expand this number quickly, and to have active digital ambassadors in the whole city of The Hague. The ongoing increase of computer crime makes it all the more important to work on the awareness of digital safety and prevention.
More information can be found on the website of the Municipality of The Hague or can be requested via digitaalambassadeur@denhaag.nl
