| When I was a child my grandparents used to live | | | | The verification and security processes are the |
| up the street. My Grandfather would turn up at | | | | access protections for the platform; the site also |
| our house everyday at 4.30 just a few minutes | | | | runs an encryption process known as 'SSL |
| after I got in from school. It seemed I always | | | | encryption'. This system scrambles messages |
| learned something from him, everyday, he felt it | | | | exchanged between the Koini browser and its |
| was important to learn and he was only | | | | online servers. Encryption makes it very difficult |
| interested in the well being of the family… | | | | for unauthorized people to view information |
| nothing else. One hot summer evening we were | | | | travelling between computers, making it |
| just sat in the garden, my Grandfather had a | | | | extremely tough for anyone to intercept and |
| glass of lemonade and I had a Coke. Our daily | | | | read the page a young person is viewing as it |
| ritual included me telling Granddad what I had | | | | travels across the network. |
| learned at school that day, so I was chattering | | | | With this verification process, the parent and the |
| away when Granddad took a sip of his drink, | | | | child now have access to three things: |
| put it down and proceeded to put cling film over | | | | 1. The Koini Safe Browser. The parent can |
| the top of his glass. ‘What are you doing that | | | | download this onto any computer that their kids |
| for Granddad?' I said looking on with incredulity. | | | | use and once protection is turned on, the child is |
| ‘You'll see" he said. Just after he uttered | | | | unable to IM anyone or search any sites that |
| those words, and as if by magic, a wasp flew into | | | | have not been approved by Koini or the parent. |
| my Coke and began swimming around. I looked | | | | 2. Koini Club. This is a social network for young |
| on open- mouthed and Granddad just smiled | | | | people from 5 - 17 which is totally customizable. |
| knowingly. | | | | From the parent's dashboard at Koini.com, the |
| I remember thinking that my Granddad must be | | | | parent can now add children and set the |
| some kind of magician, at one with nature or | | | | parameters for their web experience. For |
| someone who could see into the future. From | | | | example, if you have a 10 year old girl and you |
| that moment on I was always in awe of | | | | only want her to interact with other 10 year old |
| Granddad and did everything he ever told me. He | | | | girls on the Koini Club site then you can do that. If |
| died when I was 12, I've missed him every day | | | | you have 15 year boy and you want him to be |
| since. | | | | able to speak with 14,15 and 16 year old boys |
| We all have stories of our grandparents heroics | | | | and girls then you can that. |
| and I am sure everyone thinks of their | | | | 3. Koini Cafe. Parents can have fun too, (although |
| grandparents as I did of mine. However with | | | | our younglings don't seem to think it is allowed) so |
| modern life making our schedules very busy, with | | | | Koini created the Koini Cafe where parents have |
| mobility being what it is and with the opportunities | | | | the functionality of the Koini Club but for adults. |
| to travel never better, sometimes the magic that | | | | Everyone on the site will have been verified and |
| are grandparents get left behind. | | | | everyone is a parent, guardian, or family member |
| The great news is that modern life has not only | | | | of a Koini Club member so when you are |
| caused families to be more fractured but has also | | | | chatting you can be certain you are speaking with |
| given us the tools to communicate more and heal | | | | the person they claim to be. |
| those fractures. Skype, Messenger etc have | | | | The simplicity of use of the system is something |
| given the ability to talk to friends and family all | | | | that the company concentrated a lot of effort |
| over the world for free… which is awesome. | | | | on, "We are aware that some parents are not as |
| The only thing tainting the issue is people who use | | | | technologically savvy as their children so we had |
| these tools for nefarious activities and | | | | to build a back-end, what we call 'The Dashboard', |
| grandparents certainly don't want to encourage | | | | that had functionality but was easy for parents to |
| their precious grandkids to use unsafe media. | | | | navigate" Jorge Sariego, technical Director of |
| The guys at Anne's Diary Inc have come up with | | | | Anne's Diary Inc said. |
| a solution that should warm the hearts of | | | | Circle of Trust |
| grandparents everywhere, because they have | | | | "The thing we are most proud of though, is that |
| developed a platform that has family firmly at the | | | | the Koini Club network is fully customizable. |
| center of their concept. | | | | Although it is one large secure database the |
| The software, which has been developed | | | | parameters are controlled by the parents. That |
| in-house, is several platforms brought into one | | | | has allowed us to build a 'Circle of Trust' around |
| offering which provides parental control | | | | the child just like we, as parents, do in real life" he |
| functionality and social networking for young | | | | added |
| people. The most interesting thing for parents and | | | | "For example, parents can add Grandma to Koini |
| grandparents is that this is all provided for free | | | | Cafe, where she could interact with other |
| and it is secure system delivering a safe | | | | Grandma's and parents. Because she is in the |
| environment for young people to interact. | | | | 'circle of trust' of the parent, she is able to IM her |
| The security for users is based on Verification, | | | | Grand Daughter and chat." |
| Personal Verification Questions, Password and SSL | | | | With the security taken care of, simplicity of use |
| Encryption. | | | | and family friendly functionality, Koini has created |
| Initially a parent signs up for the Koini system and | | | | not only a great fun, safe platform for kids but a |
| they are asked to verify themselves by | | | | platform that is able to benefit the family as a |
| downloading a pre-completed pdf file, signing it and | | | | whole. Imagine a scenario where aunts and uncles, |
| email or faxing it back to the company | | | | grandmas and grandpas are just a safe IM |
| (alternatively, for convenience, they can be | | | | message away. |
| verified via credit card by a nominal payment of | | | | This is something that Koini envisaged from the |
| $1). This provides the physical address, email | | | | start "Our aim has always been to develop a |
| address, phone number and other identifying | | | | platform that is fun for kids and provides a level |
| information and an IP address is also known from | | | | of protection that is not seen on any equivalent |
| this account. Once this is reviewed and when | | | | platform, but we also wanted to have family |
| approved the system is live for the parent. | | | | functionality. The simple fact of life is that the |
| For the young person, when they first log on to | | | | best protection a young person will ever have is |
| the Koini Browser they are asked a series of | | | | to be able to be educated in the ways of the |
| questions with one-word answers they can | | | | world. As a parent I want my family to be the |
| remember. These questions are used as a | | | | educators not a range of eclectic online |
| random question log on along with password | | | | ‘friends' who I have never met and do not |
| verification. So if someone has acquired the young | | | | know". |
| person's password they would not be able to log | | | | I know one thing, Granddad would approve. |
| on with just that information. | | | | |