Varied programme with youth participation  

How can children and young people protect themselves from sexual harassment online? What influence does artificial intelligence have on the lives of adolescents? And how can young people be supported in using digital media responsibly? These questions were addressed at the "Safer internet - Growing up in the digital world" conference on 13 February 2025, which focused on the everyday online lives of children and young people.  

Around 210 visitors took part in the fully booked event, which was held at the long-standing Saferinternet.at partner A1 Telekom Austria in Vienna. In addition to the specialist presentations by media experts, the young people themselves also provided valuable input by playing a key role in shaping the conference and inviting the audience to share their experiences in table groups. The guests were thus offered a variety of insights into the digital world of young people.

Click here for the photos of the Safer Internet Conference 2025! (Credits: Saferinternet.at)

Sexual harassment on the internet as a key issue  

A key topic of the symposium was sexual harassment on the internet, which was also this year's Safer Internet Day study in Austria. At the opening, Austria's State Secretary for Youth, Claudia Plakolm, emphasised in a video message how important it is to talk about sexual harassment in order to raise awareness of the issue and empower those affected.

In the first keynote speech, puberty expert Ines Berger and the educational director of Saferinternet.at, Barbara Buchegger, shed light on phenomena such as online grooming, sexting and sextortion and provided clear answers on how prevention and support can be successful. It became clear how important open communication with children and young people is and why stigmatisation such as victim blaming must be avoided at all costs. A key message of the presentation was that supporting children and engaging with digital media together is the best form of prevention.

Exciting talk about AI in children's lives

Louise Beltzung, an expert in digitalisation and consumer protection at the Vienna Chamber of Labour, addressed another controversial topic in her keynote speech. She invited participants to critically question the role of AI in children's lives. What does it mean for children to come into contact with artificial intelligence at an early age? What opportunities and risks does it harbour if AI increasingly becomes part of their everyday lives? And how can the EU's AI legislation help to make the everyday lives of the youngest children safer? Using practical examples, Beltzung succeeded in making the omnipresence of AI in children's lives tangible.  

Young people had their say as experts  

Which digital topics are particularly relevant for young people? And what should adults know about them? Nobody knows this better than the young people themselves - which is why young people were involved in the conception and realisation of the conference. 16 young people from the Saferinternet.at Youth Panel designed a significant part of the programme themselves and worked together to develop various topic stations. In six table groups, they discussed sexual harassment on the internet, beauty ideals and social media, hidden online advertising, cyberbullying, mental health and the excessive use of digital media as well as AI, internet fraud and cybersecurity with the guests.

The guests were particularly impressed by the knowledge the young people brought with them on their topics and how well they were able to communicate this. In the table group discussions, those present were not only able to learn a lot from the young people, but also gain very personal impressions of their lives. The experiences that the young people were able to report on themselves and from their environment provided important input for the discussion of digital topics. The different perspectives that the young people and adults had on various aspects of digital life also made for an enriching exchange.

At the same time, it became clear in the discussions where the young people see a need for action. Meeting children and young people at eye level, listening to them and not looking the other way when problems arise in the digital world, but instead offering support, was a key demand made of adults. Not to demonise digital media and technologies, but to deal with them in an unbiased way, was another wish that the young people expressed to the adults.

Young people as hosts of the symposium

The symposium was supported by young people not only in terms of content, but also in terms of organisation: 11 students from the Hertha Firnberg School of Business and Tourism in Vienna were responsible for welcoming, registering, checking in and looking after the guests.

Symposium as part of Safer Internet Month

The symposium took place during Safer Internet Month in February, which the Safer Internet Centre Austria has once again proclaimed this year together with the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. The aim is to raise awareness of the safe and responsible use of digital media in Austria - not only on Safer Internet Day, but throughout the whole of February. 

Schools and youth centres in particular are invited to take part in Safer Internet Month and carry out their own creative projects on the safe use of the internet and mobile phones.

A Safer Internet symposium with youth participation took place in February 2024. Here you can find a review and photos.

Find more information about the work of the Austrian Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline, and youth participation services, or find similar information for other Safer Internet Centres throughout Europe.