Jingle Competition for Cyber Awareness Month

The Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (Ja-CIRT) in the Ministry of Science and Technology is inviting members of the public to participate in its ‘Be Cyber Safe’ 2018 jingle competition.

The contest forms part of activities in observance of National Cyber Awareness Month in October, under the theme ‘Cybersecurity our Shared Responsibility,’ with the sub theme ‘Think Before You Click’.

Interested persons will be required to submit a jingle that highlights cyberthreats and risky behaviour among young people, adults and businesses, and provides information on how to reduce those risks and stay safe online.

Communications Specialist in the Ministry, Patrice Gilpin, told JIS News that the jingle is being used as a tool “to invite all of Jamaica to be part of the conversation about cybersecurity”.

“What we want is for persons to think about how they use the Internet. They should think about the many ways they go online to conduct business and engage in general activities, if there are risky behaviours, and what are the threats they may fall prey to and become a victim,” Ms. Gilpin said.

She said that Ja-CIRT is encouraging individuals to do some research “and find out how, as adults, we can protect the children, how children can become aware of the dangers and how they can protect themselves while they are online”.

The jingle competition is open to every Jamaican except employees of the Ministry of Science and Technology and their relatives. Persons are invited to create a 60-second jingle that gives advice to children, colleagues, or the entire Jamaica about how to stay safe online, for the chance to win a $60,000 cash prize.

The jingle, with original lyrics and music, should be submitted to mstem.jm.gov@gmail.com. Members of the public will be able to vote online, on Instagram: @mstgovjm and a panel of judges will make the final decision.

The deadline for submission of entries is Friday, October 26, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. For further information on the rules and regulations governing the competition, persons can call 876-929-8990-9.