SYDNEY, Australia – June 10, 2009 – Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC), makers of Norton security software, today joined with V8 Supercar champion Craig Lowndes and the Australian Government as part of National E-security Awareness Week to discuss online safety with more than 200 students at St Joseph’s College in Brisbane.

Lowndes, who is the Norton Internet Safety Ambassador for Australia and New Zealand, provided the Year 10 students with tips about the safest way to use the Internet via a Symantec-designed quiz show called Norton Cyber Smackdown. 

Students played the quiz show, going head-to-head with peers and teachers to test their cybersmarts.  The game not only reinforced Internet safety issues, but allowed Lowndes to draw on his personal experiences as a parent in dealing with online safety. 

“The Internet develops at such a rapid rate that it’s difficult for parents to keep up with the changes, let alone monitor what their children are actually doing online,” said Lowndes. 

“As a father I can relate to this problem, so hopefully sessions like these help young people make the right decisions about how they behave online, so they can enjoy learning and communicating with their friends.”

According to the recent Norton Online Living Family Report conducted by Symantec, parents are now more concerned about online security threats than illegal drugs.  

This study revealed that 56 percent of parents are concerned their kids may come across Internet dangers, including online predators and cyberbullies as opposed to drug-related threats (44 percent).

Symantec’s consumer spokesperson Pacific, David Hall, who joined Lowndes at St Joseph’s College, discussed the dangers of posting personal information and images via social networking websites or mobile phones. 

“Symantec and the Australian Government believe it is important to provide students with the knowledge they need to be smart about online safety issues,” Mr Hall said.  

“Children need to understand that everything they post online is permanent and could come back to haunt them for years to come – limiting their education, employment and social prospects.”  

According to Mr Hall the latest trend of ‘Sexting’ – sending suggestive or sexual photos via mobile phone – is a practice that can quickly get out of hand and may also have legal implications.  

Symantec is participating in National E-security Awareness Week (5-12 June) activities around Australia as part of its global corporate commitment to generate awareness around Internet security.  Students at St Joseph’s were provided complementary copies of Norton 360 Internet security software. 

The Australian Government has launched a free online education program called Budd:e which aims to increase e-security awareness of Australian primary and secondary school students. It can be accessed via: www.staysmartonline.gov.au  

To further online education and assist parents, Symantec has also recently launched a new free family safety service called OnlineFamily.Norton that takes a different approach to protecting kids online.  OnlineFamily.Norton acts differently from traditional parental control products by enabling parents to set age-appropriate security settings for their children while also facilitating honest and open communication between parents and children.

Symantec is offering OnlineFamily.Norton free of charge until January 1, 2010.  It is available at http://onlinefamily.norton.com subject to online terms and conditions.

Craig Lowndes with his V8 Supercar, student Tom Sandilands and fellow students – part of a National E-Security Awareness Week presentation at St Joseph’s College, Brisbane.	Craig Lowndes answers a question during a National E-Security Awareness Week presentation at St Joseph’s College, Brisbane.	Craig Lowndes with his V8 Supercar and St Joseph’s College, Brisbane students Danilo Maruca, Nick MacNamara – part of a National E-Security Awareness Week presentation at St Joseph’s College, Brisbane.
Craig Lowndes asks a student Will Hopkins a question during a Norton Cyber Smackdown quiz game – part of a National E-Security Awareness Week presentation at St Joseph’s College, Brisbane.	Craig Lowndes enjoys lunch with students Mark Malachy, Issac Lemass, Joseph Eailes, James Perrins and William Pyke – part of a National E-Security Awareness Week presentation at St Joseph’s College, Brisbane.	Craig Lowndes enjoys lunch with students Mark Malachy, Issac Lemass, Joseph Eailes, James Perrins and William Pyke – part of a National E-Security Awareness Week presentation at St Joseph’s College, Brisbane.