Cyber Chip – How to Earn or How to Update!

Do you need to complete Cyber Chip for any of the following?

  1. Scout Rank (Req. 6b: Earn the Cyber Chip Award for your grade)
  2. Star Rank (Req. 6: With your parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the pamphlet How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide and earn the Cyber Chip award for your grade) 
  3. Digital Technology Merit Badge
  4. Programming Merit Badge

If you have already earned your Grade 6-12 (green BSA) Cyber Chip, please go the notes section below to recharge Cyber Chip Cards.

Otherwise…

If you (or your scout) is in grades 6-8, then these are the requirements to earn for your Cyber Chip:

  1. Read and sign the Level II Internet Safety Pledge on the BSA Cyber Chip Card. (BSA Cyber Chip green card – can be ordered at https://www.scoutshop.org/, or a card can be supplied by the troop.
  2. Write and sign a personalized contract with your parent or guardian that outlines rules for using the computer and mobile devices, including what you can download, what you can post, and consequences for inappropriate use.
  3. Watch the video “Friend or Fake” along with two additional videos of your choosing from the list below, to see how friends can help each other to stay safe online.
    1. Post to be private
    2. Split Decisions
    3. Two Kinds of Stupid
  4. As an individual or with your patrol, use the EDGE method and to teach Internet safety rules, behavior, and “netiquette” to your troop or another patrol. You are encouraged to use any additional material and information you have researched. Each member of the patrol must have a role and present part of the lesson.
  5. Discuss with your unit leader the acceptable standards and practices for using allowed electronic devices, such as phones and games, at your meetings and other Scouting events.

If you (or your scout) is in grades 9-12, then these are the requirements to earn for your Cyber Chip:

  1. Read and sign the Level II Internet Safety Pledge. (BSA Cyber Chip green card – can be ordered at https://www.scoutshop.org/), or they can be supplied by the troop.
  2. Write and sign a personalized contract with your parent or guardian that outlines rules for using the computer and mobile devices, including what you can download, what you can post, and consequences for inappropriate use.
  3. Discuss with your parents the benefits and potential dangers teenagers might experience when using social media. Give examples of each.
  4. Watch three of the following Real-Life Story” videos to learn the impact on teens.
    1. Friend or Fake
    2. Post to be private
    3. Split Decisions
    4. Two Kinds of Stupid
  5. As an individual or patrol, use the EDGE method and the Student Project Kit to teach Internet safety rules, behavior, and “netiquette” to your troop or another patrol. You are encouraged to use any additional material and information you have researched. Each member of the patrol must have a role and present part of the lesson.
  6. Discuss with your unit leader the acceptable standards and practices for using allowed electronic devices such as phones and games at your meetings and other Scouting events.

Some quick notes:

  1. All Cyber Chips will expire annually. Each Scout will need to go to Netsmartz and complete 2 new resources to recommit to net safety and netiquette. Then, with the unit leader, the Scout can add the new date to the Cyber Chip card or certificate..
  2. There are 2 merit badges (Digital Technology and Programming) that require your Cyber Chip to be up to date.
  3. Cyber Chip is required to be completed (or renewed) per Star Scout requirement 6: 
    With your parent or guardian, complete the exercises in the pamphlet How to Protect Your Children From Child Abuse: A Parent’s Guide and earn the Cyber Chip award for your grade
  4. You can write up a personal contract, or you can download, and sign this as the the personal contract between scout and parent.

As part of helping the scouts work on their teaching requirement, Mr. Christ will discuss to guide the scouts in teaching Internet safety rules, behavior, and “netiquette”.