Twitter, Yahoo! Safely Join Trend Micro and International Internet Safety Coalition to Launch Third Annual "What's Your Story?" Video Contest

CUPERTINO, Calif., Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Trend Micro Inc. (TYO: 4704; TSE: 4704) today announced the third annual "What's Your Story?" video contest, an award-winning, user-generated video contest that empowers youth to share advice with peers on safe and responsible technology use.  This year's contest boasts new partners and categories, designed to reflect the most current issues facing young people today.  

Sponsored and supported by Trend Micro Internet Safety for Kids & Families and a number of participating organizations, the contest strives to help parents, teachers and youth become more aware of the issues, and to showcase a positive use of social media. 

Trend Micro continues to team with some of the world's leading organizations that are actively involved in educating schools, parents, and youth about the safe and responsible use of technology. The judging panel for 2012 includes:

• Common Sense Media
• ConnectSafely
• NEW - Cyberbullying Research Center
• Facebook
• The Identity Theft Resource Center
• NEW - Office of the Privacy Commissioner - Ontario
• NEW - Twitter
• NEW - The Wireless Foundation
• NEW - Yahoo! Safely

As in the past two years, "What's Your Story?" will award a grand prize of $10,000 to the winning entry, with special categories for schools and individuals who submit entries. For the 2012 contest, Trend Micro is introducing new categories in the U.S. and Canada that challenges anyone 13 and older, including teachers with their classrooms, to create videos that offer thoughtful and compelling solutions to the following questions:

1. Take action against bullying: How would you help a friend being bullied online?
2. Keep a good rep online: What's the right way to share?
3. Be cell smart: How can someone new to cell phones use it wisely?

Winning entries may also be used for educational programs worldwide.

Supporting quotes

Kathleen Nichols, Crime Victims Section of the Ohio Cyber Safety Initiative, Office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine

"Trend Micro's 'What's Your Story?' videos have been used to provide education and awareness for both students and adults in dozens of Ohio's schools and communities. The videos deliver an effective message about the importance of protecting your digital reputation and align with the efforts of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine's Office in protecting Ohio's families by promoting safe and responsible Internet usage."

Cari Roderick, East Valley School District, instructional technology specialist

"For the past few years, I have been working with a group of students to promote safe and responsible digital citizenship within our schools and community. Videos have proven to be the most effective median for engaging our audiences in meaningful conversations about the effects of their digital behaviors. It's become difficult to find new high quality videos that reinforce the online safety messages we share, so we were thrilled when we came across the Trend Micro videos. The 2011 video contest winners were exactly what we needed to give our students and community a fresh perspective on the concerns we address on an ongoing basis."

Kendra , high school junior

"We are using the [Trend Micro] videos to show the students real life situations happening around us every day at our schools. We are hoping to inspire them to make a change so kids are not being harmed by cyber-bullying."

Lynette Owens, director of Trend Micro Internet Safety for Kids & Family

"When 'What's Your Story?' first started a few years ago, I couldn't imagine the success we would build.  On this matter, young people have a lot to say. And they have proven their ability to tackle some pretty difficult topics in smart, thoughtful and creative ways. Their videos have traveled far in educating their peers – from the screens of Times Square to State Attorney Generals' Offices to classrooms around the world. I am extremely proud of each and every contestant and I am grateful for our partners, both past and present, who have helped make this possible." 

For more information:

• Contest winners will be announced in early May. To learn more about the contest, submit a video, or see past winners, visit http://whatsyourstory.trendmicro.com 
• Follow updates on the contest on Twitter @WYSContest
• Today, Trend Micro Ireland and the U.K. are also announcing the 2012 "What's Your Story?" contest[1].  For more information, please visit www.trendmicro.co.uk/whatsyourstory

About Trend Micro
Trend Micro Incorporated (TYO: 4704;TSE: 4704), a global cloud security leader, creates a world safe for exchanging digital information with its Internet content security and threat management solutions for businesses and consumers.  A pioneer in server security with over 20 years' experience, we deliver top-ranked client, server and cloud-based security that fits our customers' and partners' needs, stops new threats faster, and protects data in physical, virtualized and cloud environments. Powered by the industry-leading Trend Micro™ Smart Protection Network™ cloud computing security infrastructure, our products and services stop threats where they emerge – from the Internet. They are supported by 1,000+ threat intelligence experts around the globe. 

Additional information about Trend Micro Incorporated and the products and services are available at Trend Micro.com. This Trend Micro news release and other announcements are available at http://newsroom.trendmicro.com/  and as part of an RSS feed at www.trendmicro.com/rss.   Or follow our news on Twitter at @TrendMicro.

[1] The Ireland and U.K. contests operate under separate contest rules, categories, and prizes.

SOURCE Trend Micro Inc.