BOCA RATON, FL – May 22, 2024 -- Grom Social Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: GROM Gromsocial.com, a leading provider of family-friendly media, and technology solutions, today announced that its redesigned Grom Social app – for kids under the age of 13, brand-safe and debuting this summer – will feature a new, updated version of Grom Educational's proprietary Digital Citizenship License (DCL) course, offered to schools nationwide, as part of the app's new offerings. The DCL mini-lessons will be delivered by custom avatars – which Grom calls Gromatars – that underscore how responsible behavior on social media and the internet is so vital to one's safety and security. The DCL Gromatars were announced today by Grom's Founder, Zach Marks.
Designed for kids under 13, who are typically barred from social media without parental consent, the new Grom app prompts users to create their own original social media profile avatar after a parent or caregiver signs a child up. Once parental consent is confirmed, the new user will be directed to create an original, custom social media profile avatar or "Gromatar" (no photos of kids are allowed). Each user can create their own profile image using the app's deep library of personalized assets including hairstyles, apparel, footwear, and other accessories.
For the DCL content, Grom will create custom Gromatars that offer instructions on how to be respectful of one another while safeguarding privacy when using social media, and why bullying and inappropriate language are unacceptable. The original Gromatars will be gradually introduced to Grom's feed this summer and be updated with new content and characters regularly.
The new Gromatars are inspired by the Company's corporate sibling, Grom Educational Services, which offers the Digital Citizenship Licensing (DCL) course for K-12 school customers nationwide who utilize the company's NetSpective web filter solution. In schools, the DCL program is a series of instructional short-form videos, followed by a brief quiz to ensure student comprehension, and serves to complement in-classroom learning about internet and social media safety. The DCL also helps schools operate in compliance with the Children's Internet Safety Protection Act (CIPA), enacted by Congress in 2000 and designed to address concerns about children's access to obscene or harmful content. CIPA requires K-12 Schools and libraries to certify their Internet safety policies must include monitoring the online activities of minors, and as required by the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act, it also provides for educating minors about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms, as well as cyberbullying awareness and response to qualify for e-rate funding discounts. Grom Educational's Netspective Web Filter solution, proprietary web filtering software that safeguards students from objectionable material, along with the updated DCL course provides a complete package to help educators meet all CIPA requirements. Additionally, Grom Social Enterprises operates Grom Social, a monitored social media app for kids under 13 who are routinely barred from most social media without parental consent.
