Better Internet for Kids

The 20th anniversary of Safer Internet Day (SID) was massively celebrated throughout Greece.  

The celebrations for Safer Internet Day 2023 had it all 

Once again, the main goal of the day was to raise awareness for a safer online experience for all through a plethora of fun and entertaining activities created by children themselves, such as storytelling for the youngest ones and gaming for the older ones. Misinformation was set at the forefront and chosen as this year’s general theme for the SID events and celebrations in Greece.

The SID live event

More than 2,500 educators and parents watched the SID live event organised by the Greek Safer Internet Centre that addressed online sexual assault and grooming as the main topics of discussion. During the event, among other activities, the outcomes from this survey on educators about cyberbullying, online grooming and sextortion were illustrated. The study surveyed 4,400 educators from all the educational levels in Greece, and was accomplished thanks to the contribution of the Pan-Hellenic School Network.  

The results of the survey, which were made public on Safer Internet Day itself, were also hosted on local radio and TV shows, and featured in major newspaper websites with thousands of readers all over Greece.  

Infographic illustrating the main results of the survey

Additionally, the spotlight was placed on the new European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+), aiming to ensure that children and young people are the headliners in the effort for a safer and better internet in the future. Lastly, a session served the purpose to give advice and guidance on how we can better protect children and young people from the dangers of the online world. The participants were notably impressed by Electra’s Hatjidimitriou intervention, a member of the Greek Youth Panel, who spoke about how young people perceive their relationship with the internet and what they want to hear from adults in case of potential online risks. 

Watch the replay of the online SID event in Greece on YouTube  

New material on misinformation 

In addition to the above, new educational materials were created around the topic of misinformation. The material was welcomed and appreciated by both teachers of all educational levels and parents. 

Social media and general support 

Of course, social media platforms could have not been absent on a day such as Safer Internet Day, and, as expected, played an important role in the campaigning activities. The usual Safer Internet Day motto “Together for a better internet” was massively disseminated via social media. Actress Vaso Laskaraki’s video message, who is an Ambassador of the Greek Safer Internet Centre, exceeded 200,000 views on Instagram, whereas the video prepared by the young people part of the Youth Panel for the 20th anniversary of SID exceeded 8,000 views on Facebook. Many other people joined the SID celebrations by uploading their own message on social media. 

Watch Vaso Laskaraki’s SID video message on YouTube 

Watch the Greek Youth Panel celebrate Safer Internet Day 

Some of the stories and messages shared by followers and supporters 

The registered SID supporters in Greece exceeded the numbers collected in the previous editions of the observance. 1,700 educators, stakeholders and representatives of various organisations put their pin on the map of the Greek SID supporters for 2023. 

Map of SID 2023 supporters 

The first edition of Safer Internet Day was celebrated exactly 20 years ago. While time has passed, our commitment to ensure a safer, better internet experience for everyone continues! We are looking forward to celebrating Safer Internet Day 2024 together. 

Find out more about Safer Internet Day in Greece. Alternatively, find more information about the work of the Greek Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline and youth participation services – or find similar information for Safer Internet Centres throughout Europe.