Better Internet for Kids

The digital world was, however, not designed with child safety in mind. Children are being continuously targeted online both by their peers when it comes to cyberbullying or sexting, and by threats of online violence such as child sexual exploitation, abuse and grooming.  Furthermore, new and potential risks seem always to be emerging. 

This is one of the key reasons why the Maltese Safer Internet Centre, BeSmartOnline!, along with many other Safer Internet Centres and organisations around the world, celebrate Safer Internet Day in February each year, with the theme “Together for a better internet”. The central theme is to draw attention to the need for online safety and involve the government, civil society, educators and children from across the globe to celebrate this day and to share and own the responsibility in making the internet a better place for the younger generations. At BeSmartOnline! we believe all children, no matter who they are or where they live, have the right to enjoy a safe experience online. 

2022 was a critical year for online safety as the European Commission brought forward the new European strategy for a better internet for kids (BIK+), providing a set of complementary measures, ranging from funding, coordination and self-regulation to help create a safer online environment. 

A success story 

Over the years, the BeSmartOnline! helpline has served as a beacon of hope when it comes to safeguarding children’s safety online. The team has had plenty of calls from parents, social workers, teachers and children alike, who reached out for help and the situation was improved thanks to the helpline’s intervention. 

There was one particular parent of a 12-year-old who called the helpline because their child was being bullied online. The bullies were using intimate details of the family’s heart-breaking situation and were instigating the child to self-harm and suicide. The helpline team took several steps and actions to intervene in this case. The parents were guided on what evidence they will need to hold onto should they choose to report to the police, as instigation to suicide is a criminal offence. A one-to-one support session was held with the child with the parent’s permission. BeSmartOnline! also offered the school support when confronting the bullies with what they had been doing and carried out a class intervention to raise awareness on online healthy and respectful relationships against cyberbullying. 

This case turned out to be a success story as the bullies stopped messaging the child with hurtful messages. The child found the support needed, and the class became more empowered to not be bystanders by standing up for one another against what is not right. The school also gained more confidence when navigating its own plan of action when such cases arise in the future. The parents were very satisfied with all the help and work that was carried out to help make their child’s online and school environment safer. 

Safer Internet Day celebrations 

For this year’s celebrations, the Maltese Safer Internet Centre held an information day in Valletta on the 4 February 2023, where a stand with different activities was set in order to invite the general public to visit and gather information on online safety by the awareness officers on site. Along with the different activities happening on the day, the Safer Internet Centre launched the instant photo campaign, in which young people were invited to take a photo with a polaroid camera and a set of online safety tips were attached as a sticker on the back of the photo. During this time, the members of the Safer Internet Centre were given the opportunity to start conversations on online safety with young people, and the young people could keep a photo of themselves with the tips attached. 

For parents and caregivers, a resource on pornography was developed in which parents were given tips on how to talk to their children about pornography and about intimate relationships. 

For more information visit besmartonline.org.mt. Report child sexual abuse material on childwebalert.gov.mt, and if you are under 18 you can reach out for help at the SupportLine 179 in Malta. 

This article was originally published in the Times of Malta and has been adapted and republished here with the permission of the Maltese Safer Internet Centre.   

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