This post was originally published in French only. We translated it in 2026 so the archive reads the same in both languages. Read the original →
Hackfest Communication is proud to announce the launch of a new security event aimed at teenagers, their parents and their teachers.
Teenagers are by nature very curious and love to try things out. Technology and the Internet have become the norm for today's teens: they've been in contact with them from a young age and learned the basics long before the age at which we parents got our hands on comparable technology.
They text, chat, and post the details of their lives on Facebook. All these new technologies are changing the paradigms of behaviour and social norms. It is already necessary to guide them toward responsible use of technology by making them aware of the risks that come with such technologies and means of communication.
At the same time, many of these young people are very curious and love to explore the limits of systems, often just for the challenge of finding a new path and new techniques. In doing so, they'll try things out on systems connected to the Internet and may break laws they don't even know exist. That curiosity can be channelled into workshops, where teens will be able to explore the software made available to them and get started with "modding" (modifying electronic components to go beyond what the manufacturer intended). It's the whole tinkerer culture that gave birth to the Internet. This trait should be encouraged in a legal setting where future talent in computing, electronics and security can express itself.
The event will consist of talks and interactive workshops that will make teens aware of security while letting their curiosity and creativity run free. On top of that, there will be workshops and talks for parents and teachers, to help them be better equipped to understand the technological reality their teens live in and guide them toward informed choices.
To bring our security awareness efforts together, we've decided to hold this event in May 2013, on the same day as the security games we organize (iHack). It will be a great opportunity to show an audience from outside the security field the puzzles that security professionals come to solve.
We're currently in the early design phase and we're looking for people who want to help organize the event as well as partners, speakers and workshop leaders. All your ideas are welcome, and it's a great opportunity to use your knowledge for the common good, for the community and for our young people.
Feel free to write to us at [email protected]