Symantec races ahead with Craig Lowndes

By Staff Writers on Feb 28, 2008 11:08AM

Symantec has teamed up with Australian motor racing driver, Craig Lowndes, to promote the importance of internet security and safety for families on the internet.

The next two years will find Lowndes, an Australian V8 Supercar driver and three-time Bathurst winner, acting as Australia/New Zealand ambassador for Norton Internet Security.

The announcement coincides with Symantec’s support for the ‘SCAMS TARGET YOU! Protect Yourself’ campaign by the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce (ACFT). The government taskforce aims to proactively raise awareness of online fraud and identity theft.

“As a father of two and committed family man Craig Lowndes is an ideal person to help us promote online safety and security at home,” said Matthew Drake, consumer spokesperson, Symantec.

Symantec’s new Norton Family Online Safety initiative aims to help the many parents whose knowledge of the potential perils of the Internet is eclipsed by their cyber-savvy children. An online resource centre (www.norton.com/family/resources) will offer families and educators accessible, easy to understand advice and information on safety, cyber security and online ethics.

“Safety is an obsession in motor sport and in the same way that I would never go on track without protective clothing, a harness and roll cage, I would never go online without protection,” said Lowndes.

The taskforce’s Fraud Fortnight (which runs from February 25 – March 8) highlights the new methods, made available by advances in technology, to online scammers to defraud and deceive online customers.

“This year the ACFT would like to make as strong an effort as possible to highlight deceptive and seductive scams - emerging scams and online threats, and Symantec is contributing its resources to help raise community awareness and education throughout Australia and New Zealand,” said Matthew Drake.

Symantec has recently partnered with other ambassadors, including Miss America 2007, Lauren Nelson, to launch safety initiatives in the United States, the UK and France.