Join Hack4Kids, the second edition of the EUHackathon in Brussels
By Marco Pancini, Senior Policy Counsel
This year, the second edition of the
EUhackathon is taking place on 20 and 21 June,
and the theme is
Hack4Kids. The event is organised again in conjunction
with the European Institutions in Brussels.
The EUhackathon concept aims to build a bridge between the "old" (the European Institutions
and lawmakers) and the "new" world (the Internet and coders). The 2012 edition adds the
dimension of putting children at the center of the event as end-users and as members of the
jury.
The Hack4Kids EUhackathon revolves around two tracks: 1) child safety and 2) child
creativity.
The first track offers developers a chance to create or improve
tools that enhance the Internet experience of children and parents. Ideas include providing
simple and robust reporting tools for harmful online content or behaviour, crowdsourcing
content classification, creating easier parental control tools, and education and awareness
raising.
The second track invites developers to explore how industry can support and improve children's
creativity online and offline. For example, this could include enabling children to easily
create new online content, from building their own 3D game environment to producing their own
hit single.
Selected applicants will have their travel and accommodation costs covered and the winner or
winning team in each track will be awarded €5,000. Not to forget, there will also be free food
and WiFi.
Interested candidates can submit an online
application until Monday the 30th
of April 2012 at noon CET.
More information is available at
http://www.euhackathon.eu.
No time to join the fun and excitement with us, but full of great ideas? Don’t hesitate to
share your ideas on useful tools for kids, parents and teachers with us, or just go vote on
other people’s suggestions at
http://suggestions.euhackathon.eu
.
Marco
Pancini was part of the start-up project iBazar, the first online auction web site
in Europe, and after that he joined eBay from 2002 to 2007. In July 2007 he joined the Google
team as policy counsel in charge of government relationship for the Italian market. Since
February 2011 he has been a member of the Google policy team in Brussels.
Posted by Scott Knaster,
Editor
