Raising awareness of cybersecurity across Brazil – Creating a more cybersecure population

Summary

This project is part of the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) commitment to build national cyber security capacity and resilience to cybersecurity threats in five middle-income countries. The UK Government’s Digital Access Programme provides support through: Government-to-Government technical assistance; cyber hygiene training; public awareness-raising; and research. It aims to reduce the impact of cyber harms on their governments, economies and citizens – particularly amongst groups vulnerable to online exploitation.

Details

Aim

In partnership with Tonica, the aim was to improve the government’s in-house capability for designing and executing public awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of being cybersecure and providing citizens with some basic cyber hygiene guidance.

Context

When the Brazilian government launched E-Ciber, its first ever national cybersecurity strategy, it knew it needed to improve public awareness of the cyber threats that Brazilians now face. This meant tackling the issue at an early age in schools but also within the broader adult population, especially among vulnerable groups. Across the country, online sexual exploitation, discrimination, cyber bullying and abuses of personal data are on the rise. Many of these cyber harms directly affect vulnerable members of society, including women, young people, under-represented minority groups and the elderly.

Outcomes

Increased knowledge and understanding within the Brazilian government on how to design and execute effective public awareness campaigns independently.

Outputs

• A review of existing models and methodologies for running awareness campaigns; knowledge sharing activities; and lessons learned from other campaigns.
• A framework and a strategic action plan for running awareness campaigns, based on existing models and tailored to the Tasks of the Public Relations Department’s (GSI-PR) specific requirements and needs.
• Campaign materials, including media content assets on topics such as device protection, digital rights and safe online gaming, as well as a cartoon character to act as a central campaign motif. These materials have the potential to reach 120 million people across Brazil.
• GSI-PR with the capability to run its own national campaigns, as the department looks to improve Brazil’s cyber maturity.

Activities

• Creation of a framework for planning communications campaigns, drawing on international best practice.
• Engaged a Brazilian communications agency to assist creating a series of educational videos on different elements of the framework. Followed up with detailed training on campaign planning.