In 2024, the CFIS Professional Committee on Cybersecurity for Minors, in collaboration with relevant organizations, launched @Sprout Initiative for minors’ online protection. The “@” symbol emphasizes the digital focus of the initiative, while “Sprout” symbolizes minors who need nurturing, care, and healthy development. In Chinese, the pronunciation of “@Sprout” (roughly “aiya”) sounds like “love Sprout,” symbolizing care and protection.
The @Sprout Initiative brings together industry resources to creatively launch a variety of philanthropic initiatives. By the end of 2024, CFIS, in partnership with over 20 organizations—including the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, People’s Court News and Media Agency, k618.cn, Beijing Normal University, Beijing Union University, Guangdong Federation of Internet, Tencent, Bilibili, and Yuanbiancheng—organized 30 charity events across five categories: publicity and education, forums, literacy improvement, funding, and international exchanges. These activities reached more than a million people online and benefited nearly 30,000 individuals offline. They received positive feedback from both the industry and society, successfully raising public awareness and enhancing online protection for minors.
Diverse Legal Education Online and Offline
By combining online and offline efforts, the initiative used expert insights, interactive experiences, and multimedia tools to help children learn, understand, and follow the law in engaging ways.
Offline, various organizations have come together to promote cybersecurity education for minors. In partnership with Beijing Normal University, Beijing Union University, Bilibili, and others, the “Protecting Cybersecurity, Creating a Better Future” campaign was held in 14 cities across 11 provinces (regions) including Xinjiang, Guangdong, and Shaanxi. Activities such as lectures, themed classes, and trivia quizzes benefited over 2,500 teachers and students. One teacher participant commented, “It’s truly inspiring to see so many experts and volunteers dedicated to educating minors about cybersecurity. We hope these activities become a regular part of our education system.”
A series of new legal education projects was launched online in collaboration with peoplescourt.com, jcrb.com, Yuanbiancheng, and others. These included projects like the animated video “Tech-Savvy Teens: A Guide to Avoiding Scams,” the video “Looking Ahead: The Future of Legal Protection,” the interview program “Law Talk: A Legal View of the World,” the short drama “Trapped in the Web: The Hidden Dangers of Cyberspace for Minors,” and the series “Nine Prosecutors’ Safety Tips for Children” along with accompanying posters. Other projects featured the campaign “Together Digitally: Protecting the Future of Our Youth,” the theme song “Gift of Time” which focuses on minor protection in cyberspace, and livestreams such as “Fostering Integrity: Shaping the Future of Our Youth,” “Laws for Growing Minds,” and “Protecting Innocence: Legal Guardians of Childhoods.” These efforts also included cybersecurity, anti-fraud, and legal education. CFIS original shows garnered a total play count of 392,000, with cumulative views exceeding 2 million, and the topic itself attracted 75,000 views.
Multi-Dimensional Improvement of Minors’ Online Literacy
CFIS actively explores various ways to combine awareness education with worldview shaping, integrating resources to launch a series of online literacy programs.
One key focus is nurturing minors’ technological literacy. In collaboration with the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation, peoplescourt.com, Tencent, Quark, and others, activities such as “Youth Masterclasses,” science gatherings themed “AI Innovators,” and the “Empowering Rural Youth’s Basketball Dream” charity project were organized. A series of high-quality videos and online literacy courses were offered, with academicians and scientists visiting schools for face-to-face interactions with over 3,000 teenagers and parents, sparking interest in science and fostering national pride.
Another key focus is promoting digital citizenship for minors. CFIS cooperated with peoplescourt.com and Bilibili to donate nearly 5,000 copies of the Handbook of Online Safety Tips for Minors to primary and secondary schools in 12 provinces including Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Guizhou, fostering rational, civilized, and responsible online behavior.
CFIS Achieves Key Milestones in Minors’ Online Protection
With a focus on digital-era challenges, CFIS conducted theoretical research and surveys, developing a series of minors’ online protection results.
CFIS systematically reviewed minors’ online protection status. Jointly with the Internet Rule of Law Research Center at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, CFIS published the Annual Report on the Protection of Minors in Cyberspace 2024, summarizing achievements in legal framework, administrative supervision, and judicial protection to provide important references.
Additionally, CFIS organized seminars and exchange events. During National Cybersecurity Awareness Week, CFIS partnered with k618.cn and the Guangdong Federation of Internet to host a minors’ online protection sub-forum titled “30 Years on the E-Road, @Sprout Towards the Future.” The event brought together government officials, academics, businesses, and media to discuss trending topics, highlight philanthropic achievements, and raise awareness and support.
In September 2024, CFIS and partners held a “Cybersecurity on Campus” event in Guangzhou, inviting experts to teach minors about online protection and conducting interactive activities to raise awareness among students and teachers.
Last but not least, CFIS intensified its research on key issues. With support from UNICEF, CFIS analyzed the online protection needs of children in less developed regions and provided recommendations for improvement, resulting in the Report on the Survey of Children’s Online Safety Needs.
Promoting China’s Solutions to Minors’ Online Protection
CFIS uses the @Sprout Initiative brand to expand international exchange opportunities and share China’s efforts in minors’ online protection with the world.
CFIS actively creates platforms for discussion. At the 19th United Nations Internet Governance Forum, CFIS co-hosted the open forum “Promoting Tech Companies to Ensure Children’s Online Safety” with UNICEF and the Communication University of China, sharing China’s insights and solutions.
CFIS also strengthens its cooperation with international organizations. It shared Chinese practices at the “Making the Internet a Safe Place for Children” seminar hosted by UNICEF and the Belgian Embassy in China, and promoted China’s child protection concepts at the ASEAN ICT Forum on Online Child Protection. These ongoing efforts have built trust between CFIS and UNICEF and led to a new two-year cooperation plan.
Additionally, CFIS actively promotes China’s positive image in online protection for minors. At a side event on child and teen online protection during the 45th session of the Universal Periodic Review Working Group, CFIS presented successful case studies and highlighted China’s concepts and achievements.
Pooling Philanthropic Forces for Minors’ Online Protection
CFIS fosters collaborative mechanisms through activities under @Sprout Initiative, enhancing its role as a bridge and link. It brings together universities, organizations, and businesses, including members of the CFIS Professional Committee on Cybersecurity for Minors, to create a united force.
CFIS established relevant working mechanisms. It oversees every stage of the @Sprout Initiative, from preparation and implementation to marketing and year-end review, creating a complete cycle of selection, planning, execution, promotion, and evaluation. CFIS encourages project organizers to take initiative and offers strong support in theme design, planning, promotion, and resource integration to ensure smooth and effective progress.
CFIS has also promoted multi-party collaboration. Members and partners of the CFIS Professional Committee on Cybersecurity for Minors work together in various ways to strengthen efforts in protecting minors and raise awareness of existing activities. Through resource sharing and technical cooperation, they create shared value, build recognition, and offer mutual support.
Furthermore, CFIS has built a strong brand presence. Launched in 2024 as a charity initiative focused on online safety for minors, the @Sprout Initiative has created a comprehensive network of education, forums, literacy programs, funding, and international exchanges. It has gained significant media attention and received positive feedback from netizens, greatly increasing public awareness and support for online protection of minors.
Moving forward, CFIS will accelerate the 2025 @Sprout Initiative by integrating resources, expanding philanthropic efforts, and focusing on the following:
Improving project quality and outreach, enriching content and formats, and attracting broader participation to unite resources and engage governments, schools, families, businesses, and social organizations in empowering online protection for minors.
Boosting publicity and brand recognition, expanding the initiative’s impact, and actively participating in international conferences to share successful projects under the initiative and China’s best practices, while reinforcing China’s image as a responsible global actor.
Enhancing oversight and evaluation by regularly tracking project effectiveness, addressing issues swiftly, and ensuring participants meet their responsibilities for the successful implementation of charity projects, driving greater progress in online protection for minors.