Safer Internet Day (SID) is Tuesday 7 February 2012

This video provides an overview of Safer Internet Day, showcasing past campaigns from a volleyball game in Italy to a flashmob in Latvia:

The survey of 25,000 young people in 25 European countries (Malta was not included), published by the EUKidsOnline network in 2011, shows some interesting statistics about children’s online behaviour as follows:

  • 38% of 9-12 year olds say they have a profile on social networking sites,
    • ranging from 70% in The Netherlands to 25% in France.
  • Social networks are even more popular among teenagers with 77% of 13-16 year olds saying they have a profile.
  • 15% of 9-12 year olds say they have more than 100 contacts on their profile,
    • with a high of 47% in Hungary
  • Among 13-16 year olds, Belgian, Danish, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish and UK children are more likely to have more than 100 contacts than children from other countries.
  • A quarter of children on social networking sites say they have their profile open to the public.
    • One fifth of children whose profile is public say this profile displays their address and/or phone number.
    • In 15 out of 25 countries, 9-12 year olds are more likely than 13-16 year olds to have public profiles.
  • Only 56% of 11-12 year olds say they know how to change privacy settings on their social network profile.
  • Older youngsters have better skills with 78% of 15-16 year olds saying they know how to change their privacy settings.

Also, did you know that…?

  • 12 per cent of European 9-16 year olds say they have been bothered or upset by something on the internet…
  • …however, 56 per cent of parents whose child has received nasty or hurtful messages online are not aware of this.
  • One in eight parents don’t seem to mediate their children’s online activities…
  • …while 56 per cent of parents take positive steps such as suggesting to their children how to behave towards others online.
  • 44 per cent of children think that parental mediation limits what they do online, 11 per cent say it limits their activities a lot.

Safer Internet Day is organised by Insafe each year in February to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially amongst children and young people across the world.

This year, Safer Internet Day (SID) takes place on Tuesday 7 February 2012 and will be centered around the theme Connecting generations and educating each other, with the slogan: “Discover the digital world together… safely!

Connecting Generations is about:

  • the reach of the online world across all generations and cultures and encourages families to work together to stay safe online.
  • people of all ages can learn together and from each other, especially regarding online safety.

The Safer Internet Day (SID) website showcases the many exciting activities and events that are taking part across the globe to celebrate the day.

Please click here to view the  “Safer Internet Day 2012: Discovering the digital world together” map to get started, using the zoom control to locate events in your country.

Alternatively, visit the ‘SID Near You’ section to explore news from the many countries and institutions that are taking part.

Saferinternetday.org provides a global online community platform where countries and international organizations can showcase events and actions conducted locally, nationally and internationally for Safer Internet Day.

Contact Info

saferinternetday.org

Email: sid-helpdesk@eun.org.

Ontario, Canada, is offering parents some helpful tips to keep everyone safe online by promoting safe, responsible online behavior of children:

  • Encourage your teen to let you know if they come across material or receive messages that make them feel uncomfortable or threatened
  • Report threatening or inappropriate messages to the police and your Internet service provider
  • Get to know which websites your teenager visits the most and visit them yourself to ensure there is no offensive or questionable content
  • Make sure your teenager has adjusted the privacy settings on their social networking accounts so that only friends can see their photos, comments or any information they post
  • Remind your teenager that anything posted on a social networking site can be seen by anyone — parents, teachers or future bosses
  • Remind your child to get permission from others, including friends, before posting pictures of them on social networking sites
  • Remind them to be safe and responsible online: they should not use the Internet to spread gossip, bully or threaten others. When teens stay safe and treat each other respectfully online, they contribute to a more positive school climate
Safer Internet Day (SID) is Tuesday 7 February 2012
Safer Internet Day (SID) is Tuesday 7 February 2012

PRESS RELEASE

February 7, 2012

Connect Generations on SAFER INTERNET DAY and Discover the Digital World Together… Safely!

Today the Insafe and INHOPE networks, (the European network of Safer Internet Centres and the International Association of Internet Hotlines respectively) are celebrating Safer Internet Day (SID) for the ninth year running. An initiative of the European Commission’s Safer Internet Programme, this day marks an annual opportunity to engage in making the internet a safer and better place for our children and young people. Since its first edition in 2004, interest in Safer Internet Day has grown tremendously to reach 6 of the world’s 7 continents in more than 70 countries worldwide; including all 27 countries of the European Union.

“The Internet is one of the best places for kids to be. You can socialise, play, learn and create; and a world of information and opportunity is just a few clicks away.” said Vice-President Neelie Kroes, patron of Safer Internet Day, and the European Digital Agenda Commissioner. “I want everyone – parents, teachers, children, NGOs and policy makers – to work together, so all kids’ online experiences are positive ones. So wherever you are, however you are taking part in Safer Internet Day, I wish you the best of luck today, and in the future”.

Safer Internet Day 2012 celebrates the theme Connecting Generations with the slogan Discover the digital world together… safely! This topic examines the reach of the online world across all generations and cultures and encourages families to work together to stay safe online. No matter their age or how often they use the internet, each person has something different to bring to the table that can help shape online experiences and the understanding of online competences and safety across all generations. The Insafe network believes that “we all have a role to play in ensuring that every child is safe online”.

Marc Durando, director of Insafe’s coordinator European Schoolnet, says “We are delighted that Safer Internet Day has become so successful over the years and reaches so many people across the world. Learning to be safe online is one of the prerequisites to developing eSkills and these are essential for many aspects of our children’s lives today.”

Every year the Insafe network produces a SID campaign video. This year’s video is an animation featuring both the SID mascot and an older relative. It shows how new technologies can help to connect generations, encouraging users both young and old to join together in creating positive online experiences, to share knowledge and wisdom, but also to support each other when things might be risky or, indeed, go wrong.

In preparation for Safer Internet Day 2012 Insafe have launched a new annual initiative: a Safer Internet Day Kit for Schools. From 2012 Insafe will group SID specific resources (ranging from a lesson plan about the video to SID marketing materials) with internet safety resources from across its network into a virtual kit. As part of the kit a new video was developed to provide an overview of Safer Internet Day past and present, and to showcase some of the most diverse previous national campaigns.

Also on February 7, EU Kids Online, one of Insafe’s partner projects, will release a new report, entitled “Engage, don’t restrict – to protect children from online risk”. It is based on information gathered in 25 European countries from a face-to-face, in home survey of 25,000 9-16 year old internet users and their parents. The report shows that compared with restricting children’s internet use, positive engagement can reduce the risk of harm without preventing the benefits of internet use. For more information please visit www.eukidsonline.net.

To download the SID resources or to find out more about online and offline regional activities organised in your country visit the Safer Internet Day website (www.saferinternetday.org), a collaborative platform where more than 90 Safer Internet Day committees, international organisations and stakeholders have profile pages where they blog and communicate about their SID actions.

Insafe is currently promoting #SID2012 and #ConnectingGenerations as the main tags on Twitter.

About Insafe and INHOPE

Under the framework of the European Commission’s Safer Internet Programme, Insafe and INHOPE work together to deliver a safer internet, promoting safe, responsible use of the internet and mobile devices to children, young people and their families, and working to identify and remove illegal content online. Find out more by visiting the Insafe and INHOPE joint portal at www.saferinternet.eu. Here you will find links to the various safer internet centre services, by country, along with news and events, and FAQs on safer internet issues.

Alternatively, you can visit the Insafe or INHOPE websites direct (Insafe: www.saferinternet.org and INHOPE: www.inhope.org).

About Safer Internet Day

Safer Internet Day is part of a global drive by awareness-raising partners to promote a safer internet for all users, especially young people. It is organised by Insafe in the framework of the European Commission’s Safer Internet Programme.

About European Schoolnet

European Schoolnet (EUN) (www.eun.org) is a not-for-profit consortium of 31 Ministries of Education across Europe, established in 1997. EUN provides major European education portals for teaching, learning and collaboration by leading the way to bring about change in schooling through the use of new technology.

About EU Kids Online

The EU Kids Online project (www.eukidsonline.net) aims to enhance knowledge of European children’s and parents’ experiences and practices regarding risky and safer use of the internet and new online technologies, and thereby to inform the promotion of a safer online environment for children. The project is funded by the EC Safer Internet Programme.

Happy Safer Internet Day!

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Comments

One response to “Safer Internet Day (SID) is Tuesday 7 February 2012”

  1. Darren Laur Avatar
    Darren Laur

    here are 11 steps that parents can take to make surfing online a safer for their children

    http://www.personalprotectionsystems.ca/the-digital-sheepdog/how-to-make-surfing-safer.html