Kerala Cyber Safety Protocol 2026 to secure students in AI era

Key facts

• Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) published the 'Cyber Safety Protocol 2026' to create a secure digital learning environment in public schools.
• The protocol lists 13 core objectives including awareness on sharing confidential data with Generative AI and cultivating critical thinking toward digital content.
• It defines nine operational areas covering academic AI integration, administrative data management and maintenance of secure online learning spaces.
• School heads must ensure 17 mandates such as teacher-supervised internet access during school hours and formation of School Cyber Security Committees.
• Teachers are advised to avoid homework requiring internet and must provide school-based access for programmes like 'Key to Entrance'.
• Students receive 25 safety guidelines including identifying suspicious links, protecting live locations on social media and managing permissions in online gaming.
• Parents are given 16 actionable guidelines on screen time management, understanding digital footprints and using monitoring tools like Family Link.
• The framework integrates protections from IT Act 2000, DPDP Act 2023 and POCSO Act and incorporates 2026 IT rule amendments on Synthetically Generated Information (SGI).
• It details 20 major cyber threats such as deepfakes, AI grooming and 'digital arrest' along with legal contexts and precautions.