The LEGO Group launches new story-style adventure to help families talk about online safety and privacy

An online adventure LEGO critter with a hat

Wednesday 18th August 2021: The LEGO Group has expanded its range of tools designed to help families have conversations about digital safety, privacy and wellbeing, after new research found only 1 in 6 parents said their child had confided in them when something bad happened online (1).

The LEGO Group’s ‘Build & Talk’ series helps parents and caregivers have meaningful conversations around challenging yet important online topics with children, aged seven to 11, in a language all children can understand, play. The latest activity pack focuses on two of the biggest concerns for parents when it comes to keeping their children safe online: privacy and safe sharing (2).

In the new story-style adventure, digital explorer and ‘creaturologist’ Ida Switchditonandoff, takes families on a journey through the online world in search of an imaginary LEGO® creature who loves to share. As parents read out the story, children are inspired to have fun building their own ‘Oversharer’ with LEGO bricks. Parents can then use a number of simple talking points to start a conversation with their child about topics such as what makes a good password and how to keep personal data secure.

LEGO critter balancing on LEGO bricks

Kathrine Kirk Muff, VP of Social Responsibility at the LEGO Group, said: '‘Children should be safe whether they play online or offline and we know that is a key concern for parents. This is why we are committed to creating safe digital play experiences and to providing families with age-appropriate tools that enable them to talk about digital safety, privacy and wellbeing topics in a fun and memorable way.”

“LEGO building provides a great medium for helping children learn about themselves and the world around them, and we believe the unique combination of storytelling and play in our new Build & Talk activity will help families speak more openly about the online worlds they are increasingly immersed in. We recognise the essential role that parents have in protecting the best interests of their child so want to support them in helping their children become responsible digital citizens with this fun, playful activity.”

The new online privacy and sharing Build & Talk activity pack has been developed in line with a digital competency framework pioneered by the LEGO Group’s partner, the DQ Institute, a world-leading think tank on digital citizenship and child online safety. It is the latest addition to a series of activity packs designed to help children learn vital digital literacy skills and explore the positive and negative aspects of life online.

Each pack encourages parents and children to build characters from LEGO bricks they have at home and use play and conversation prompts to talk about important digital safety topics such as cyberbullying and managing screen time.

The new activity pack can be downloaded free of charge along with the other Build &Talk activities at LEGO.com/buildandtalk.

Notes to the Editor

For more information, please contact media@lego.com or visit https://www.lego.com/aboutus/digital-child-safety/


(1) According to Research conducted by the LEGO Group between 24 March 2021 to 14 April 2021 among 1,830 parents of children aged 1 - 12 in the UK, China, Germany and USA.

(2) According to Research conducted by the LEGO Group between 24 March 2021 to 14 April 2021 among 1,830 parents of children aged 1 - 12 in the UK, China, Germany and USA.

About the LEGO Group

The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.

The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean “Play Well”. Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. However, its products are now sold in more than 130 countries worldwide. For more information: www.LEGO.com

About the DQ Institute

The DQ Institute (DQI) is an international think-tank that is dedicated to setting global standards for digital intelligence education, outreach, and policies. Working together with international agencies and local partners, DQI’s award-winning educational programs include the #DQEveryChild initiative and its DQ framework has been recognized as the world’s first global standard for digital literacy, skills, and readiness (IEEE 3527.1-2020). Its affiliated organizations are the Coalition for Digital Intelligence and DQ Lab Pte Ltd, a social enterprise based in Singapore that focuses on research, development, and dissemination of the DQ Global Standards. For more information: https://www.dqinstitute.org/.