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Cub Scout Cyber Chip Award

Earning the Cub Scout Cyber Chip is no longer a rank requirement. Watching the Protect Yourself Rules video for your grade has replaced the Cyber Chip as a rank requirement.

Cub Scout Cyber Chip Requirements f

Note: Even though the Cyber Chip is no longer a requirement, this information is being retained as a resource.

The Netsmartz Scouting site is no longer available, but Scouts can still take advantage of the online activities at this site.

Created by the BSA and Netsmartz, the Cyber Chip is a tool to help keep kids safe when they're online. Prior to the 2022-2023 program year, earning the Cyber Chip was a rank requirement.

The Cub Scout Cyber Chip is an important tool to help our kids stay safe online. I know that as parents of first through fifth graders, we may think that topics such as cyberbullying, online privacy, and social networks are a long way off for us. 

But you may be surprised to learn that over 5 million Facebook users are kids under the age of 10 even though the age limit for an account is 13.

What about YouTube videos? There are lots of great videos that the kids love—especially the Minecraft ones, but without supervision, it’s easy for the Cub Scouts to be exposed to content that we don’t want them to watch.

And it’s estimated that 25% of kids have their own mobile phones in third grade with all of the issues that go along with a child and his mobile phone.

Cub Scouts using tablet

Cub Scout Cyber Chip & Internet Safety

So how do we teach our kids internet safety principles?  In partnership with NetSmartz®, the Boy Scouts of America developed the Cyber Chip program.

Just like the Whittling Chip is designed to teach Cub Scouts pocketknife safety, the Cyber Chip is designed to teach them internet safety.

There are BSA Cyber Chip requirements for kids in grades 1-3, grades 4-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12.  Even if your children aren't in Cub Scouts, you can still take advantage of NetSmartz's awesome programming.

Note: The Lion rank requirements do not require the Cyber Chip.

Each Cub Scout Cyber Chip level covers topics such as cyberbullying, cell phone use, texting, blogging, gaming and identity theft. To earn the Cyber Chip, Cub Scouts sign an Internet Safety Pledge, watch an age-appropriate online video and share what they’ve learned with their den or den leader. Older Scouts complete additional activities.

Cub Scouts using computers

Tigers, Bears, and Wolves Cyber Chip Requirements (Grades 1-3)

  1. Read, commit to, and sign the Level I Internet Safety Pledge. (This is the BSA Cyber Chip blue card.)
  2. Watch the video “Bad Netiquette Stinks.”
  3. Watch the Router’s Birthday Surprise Interactive Adventure.
  4. Show and tell your family, den leader, den, or pack what you have learned.

Webelos and Arrow of Light Cyber Chip Requirements (Grades 4-6)

  1. Read, commit to, and sign the Level I Internet Safety Pledge. (This is the BSA Cyber Chip blue card.)
  2. Watch the video “The Password Rap” and another video of your choosing.
  3. As an individual or with your den, use the Teachable Recipes to demonstrate Internet safety rules to your den leader, den, or pack.
  4. Discuss with your unit leader the acceptable standards and practices for using allowed electronic devices, such as phones and games, at your meetings and other Scouting events.

Two posts you might want to read if you have Webelos.

The Cub Scout Cyber Chip expires annually. Our Scouts need to complete 2 new resources from the Netsmartz website to recommit to net safety and netiquette.

The link to Netsmartz goes to the general page, and there is lots of great information on there. But to more quickly find resources for the Cub Scouts to complete, go to the Netsmartz Kids page.

On Scouting’s Cyber Chip home page, you’ll find some great ideas on ways to implement the program in your pack. A Jeopardy game with information the Scouts have learned sounds like so much fun! If you play it in your den, you could have teams—the Scouts versus the parents is always a good pairing.

It’s never too early to begin talking about cyber safety with your Scouts. Have you had conversations with them about this important topic?

Yours in Scouting,
Sherry

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