EE Lakeside is offering in-store ‘Stay Safe with AI’ appointments from today, dedicated to educating families on the use of AI. The announcement coincides with Safer Internet Day, which this year focuses on the safe and responsible use of the technology.
The ‘Stay Safe with AI’ appointments, available across Lakeside and 10 other stores in Essex, including Braintree, Clacton, Ilford, Romford, Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester, Southend, Barking and Harlow, have been developed by EE in partnership with Essex Police and with support from online safety experts at Internet Matters to give young people, parents, guardians and teachers the confidence to use AI safely, as well as the tools to report and remove deepfake content.
During the sessions, families can get personalised support from expert EE Guides on how to safely use AI and how to talk about it with young people, how to identify deepfakes, and what to do if families have been targeted by them. To complement the in-store sessions, additional tips on how to avoid harmful AI-generated content online are available on EE’s LearnSmart platform.
The new appointments are part of EE’s ongoing commitment to help families manage their digital wellbeing. They follow EE’s in-store online safety sessions and Safer SIMs, dedicated mobile plans for under-18s, which were both introduced last year. Families can book 30-minute online safety sessions in any EE store nationwide with trained EE Guides to receive personalised support and guidance on topics like setting up a child’s first phone and managing parental controls, along with tips on how to keep young people safe online.
Asif Aziz OBE, Retail Director at EE, commented: “Technology is such a big part of our everyday lives, helping us stay connected, learn new things and find creative ways to express ourselves. But as technology evolves, so too does the need to keep people safe online.
“As the UK’s best network, we’re always looking for ways to make the online world safer, which is why we’re proud to launch dedicated AI appointments in partnership with Essex Police. The sessions, which build on our already available online safety appointments, are designed to help young people, parents, carers and educators have the confidence to use AI safely, with our expert in-store guides trained to support customers every step of the way. It’s part of our ongoing mission to bring personalised tech support to high streets across the UK.”
Local residents can book an appointment with an expert Guide at the Lakeside EE store here: https://appointment.ee.co.uk/store-search
