Better Internet for Kids

For Safer Internet Day 2023, the centre organised various activities for experts, parents, and children regarding safer internet use. The estimated number of participants for all activities combined is more than 56,000, but the number of viewers is expected to grow as recordings of the various activities become available. The focus topic for this edition of Safer Internet Day in Croatia was online challenges. 

The workshops 

The total number of general applications to join the celebrations of Safer Internet Day 2023, granting access to preparations for workshops in four different age groups was 1,326 – mainly from Croatia, but the centre also received 78 from Bosnia and Herzegovina, 18 from Serbia, 13 from North Macedonia and two from Montenegro. 

The number of children and young people who participated in the workshops for which the centre provided preparations is 12,677, according to evaluations completed by experts, and their evaluation sheets were collected through 540 evaluation entries. The feedback from the experts who conducted the workshops is excellent and it is an additional motivation for the centre to continue working on the topic of internet security. 

The online quiz

An online quiz for children and young people was organised, with the luckiest 10 participants – who solved the quiz with at least 80 per cent of correct answers on the day of the quiz – were rewarded with a prize. In total, the game was completed 52,280 times on SID2023. 

Other activities

The centre filmed a podcast for parents about sharenting featuring famous Croatian singer Marko Tolja as an example of good practice. He was also awarded with the “Like for a digitally responsible parent”. 

The panel discussion “What is the price of one like?” was held with the Croatian ombudsman for children and representatives of the Croatian Regulatory Agency for Network Activities (HAKOM) and the Ministry of the Interior, a Croatian influencer, and an expert associate of Središće Elementary School. The centre also organised an expert conference “What is the price of one like?” with four interesting lectures.  

Two workshops with children were organised on site and broadcasted online, and held by the Croatian Safer Internet Centre (SIC) experts and influencers on online games and online challenges.

The award ceremony  

For the first time on SID2023, the Croatian SIC organised the award ceremony for the responsible use of the internet in four categories: 

• Like for responsibility – Središće primary school 
• Like for responsible reporting - Marija Lovrenc, journalist 
• Like for a digitally responsible parent – Marko Tolja, example of good practice for sharenting, singer 
• Like for promoting responsibility on the internet - Domagoj Jakopović Ribafish, influencer whose son died due to an online challenge. 

A recognition in the special category "Like for responsible business" went to A1 Croatia. 

The centre plans to continue organising this award ceremony practice in the future, in such a way that followers themselves will be able nominate people for certain categories. 

Educational materials launched for SID2023 

In addition, a range of educational materials have been published for SID 2023 and are available on the centre’s website. According to the feedback of various local schools and organisations, they were of great utility to them. Among the materials, it is worth mentioning the SIC glossary containing important terms in the field of internet security and advice on handling online issues, and the short manual for employees of educational institutions “The role of parents in media education and protection of the children on the internet - How to work with parents?”. 

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