Disney to run 'safer internet' campaign with X Factor star Ella Henderson

The activity is part of a pan-European "Safer internet day" project in which has Disney has partnered with Childnet and the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), in order to teach families about online safety.

The campaign will launch on 5 February and is based around a "connect with respect" idea. Additional activity will also include characters 'Phineas' and 'Ferb' explaining the "rules of the road when it comes to online safety".

Laura Batten, senior manager for Disney Interactive, said 16-year-old Henderson was chosen because she "resonates with the audience because she is a young girl and has had some stick online about her weight".

Additional "connect with respect" marketing material starring characters from the Disney Channel will be available online and in-store.

CEOP ambassadors will also attend Disney stores in order to talk parents through safety features on children's websites and parental controls for the wider web, while children will be taught how to be a "good online friend".

Disney will also run a short safety quiz on its Club Penguin virtual world and will offer a virtual item to download for their penguin avatars to demonstrate their commitment to the safety cause.

Batten explains that "this education piece was the last piece of the puzzle" and will complement all the safety features Disney has installed in Club Penguin.

Safety features on the site's chat function include filtering technology that assumes every word is blacklisted unless it is pre-approved.

Users are also blocked from providing any personal information, including addresses and the schools they attend, while a team of 200 staff is involved in moderating the site.

The site has 190 million users worldwide and is predominantly used by six- to 14-year-olds.

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk