Better Internet for Kids

This year, 7 February marked Safer Internet Day worldwide—a day celebrated in more than 150 countries to promote the safe and responsible use of the internet. In Malta, a campaign was developed around the topic of sexting.

Cyberbullying remains the most common type of abuse that occurs on the internet. The Maltese Safer Internet Centre alone receives approximately 60 reports per month regarding such online risk. This case study examines the case of bullying following an already difficult family situation.

The online counselling services by Nummer gegen Kummer were first launched in 2003 and are, therefore, one of the oldest counselling services for children and young people available in Germany. Twenty years later, thousands of sessions have been conducted, and the organisation has collected a lot of achievements.

BeSmartOnline – part of the Maltese Safer Internet Centre, shares insights on things everyone – but especially children and young people – should be wary of when posting online.

How do we increase our visibility and effectively share our message throughout the country? In 2023, we collaborated with industry partners and encouraged them to participate and enhance their awareness initiatives to amplify our impact. We have been partnering with MAIF, which is known for its insurance products. We are engaged in their initiative ‘MAIF numérique éthique tour’ (ethic digital tour).

The French Safer Internet Centre, Internet Sans Crainte, was invited to participate in the YUBO initiative, a French social network for young people. On this occasion, AFNOR (Association Française de Normalisation: the standards organisation of France) certification specialists have supported the Yubo initiative to produce a best practice guide for digital platforms.

A large panel of young people representing various regions of Denmark has explored how algorithms control online content. The young people's attitude towards algorithms indicates a challenging pedagogical task to address.

Parents of teenagers face multiple challenges and have questions concerning social media usage. We know that young people are connected and create social profiles at a very young age, and their parents must adapt their rules to the increase in online connectivity. But are parents aware of the online applications their children use? And do they know they can have access to parental control options to keep their children safer on these social networks? Spurred on by new legislation and ongoing regulation, the platforms are now proactively providing safety features for the minors' best interests.

In the framework of our partnership with the Parisian suburban City of Montreuil, we initiated the production of a new interactive resource as part of the "Stop la violence" investigation series.This initiative aimed to address the issue of non-consensual intimate image abuses. To adhere to our working methodology, we collaborated with a group of young individuals who expressed interest in the project. We not only sought to leverage their experiences and knowledge to shape the main focus of the resource but also actively involved them in the creation process.

How can we improve the "gaming atmosphere" in video games and encourage gamers to adopt better behaviours online? The French Safer Internet Centre introduces best practices and digital awareness campaigns for a more positive gaming culture.