First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump, has launched a new online safety initiative, but not without some controversy.
The ‘Be Best’ program encourages parents to work with children to ensure they remain safe online and engage in “appropriate online conduct.”
As part of the program, Trump released ‘Talking with Kids About Being Online’ – a guide that aims to help parents discuss online safety with their children.
“As First Lady, I want to nurture the most valuable part of our society and our future: children,” Trumps says in the document’s introduction.
“The internet — and technology in general — are powerful forces for good. I believe that, together, we can make a real difference in encouraging positive behaviour online.”
The guide was originally described by the White House as "a booklet by First Lady Melania Trump and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)."
However, media outlets were quick to point out that, apart from a new introduction by Trump and some updated graphics, the document was identical to the booklet Michelle Obama released in 2014.
The text was soon amended to say the booklet was a "Federal Trade Commission booklet, promoted by First Lady Melania Trump."
The White House later released a statement clarifying that the booklet had been produced by the FTC previously, and Trump had agreed to brand it as part of her ‘Be Best’ campaign “in an effort to use her platform to amplify the positive message within.”
Despite the confusion, it is not the first time Trump has made herself an advocate for online safety.
Earlier this year she hosted a forum with executives from major online and social media companies to discuss cyberbullying while she has previously spoken to the United Nations on the need to eradicate cyber bullying.
She also signposted online safety as one of her priorities as part of her husband Donald Trump’s election campaign.
