Better Internet for Kids

For the past eleven years, since the inception of the BeSmartonline! project (the Maltese Safer Internet Centre (SIC)), a number of challenges have been overcome. However, one challenge which has persisted over these years has been reaching out to parents.

More than 1000 schools – including primary schools, junior high schools and high schools - participated in the events organised by the Greek Safer Internet Centre to celebrate Safer Internet Day 2022. The focus was on develeping knowledge on a safer use of the internet through children's favourite activities such as reading fairy tales (for younger children) and playing games (for older ones).

As technology has developed, although having many benefits, it has permitted various forms of cyberbullying to multiply over the years. From sending malicious or threatening messages, to spreading unpleasant secrets in the virtual environment, or breaking accounts on social networks and changing them in order to ridicule others, our children can be subjected to a range of humiliating situations online which they need help responding to.

Digital legacy is an aspect of the digital environment that is often overlooked but is indeed relevant. It deals with what happens to your social media accounts and your digital footprint after your death. Here, the Dutch Safer Internet Centre (SIC) provides useful tips on how to manage your digital legacy.

Today's children live in a world completely different from that of previous generations. Relationships between peers often occur online, mediated by applications, social networks and devices that many parents do not know or understand. As a result, many parents are not equipped to support their children in this process, while equally having concerns about their children's ability to socialise in real life. Additionally, they are witnessing the way in which new technologies capture the attention and interest of young people, sometimes to the detriment of homework, school, or quality time with family and friends.

The Catalan Audiovisual Council (CAC) and Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), together with six organisations from different European countries offer schools a test to evaluate the media literacy skills of their students aged 14 to 18.

Media outlets respond to child sexual abuse (CSA) reports with a variety of reactions usually including horror and public outrage and disbelief. However, this behaviour can often imply further shame and the risk of further re-victimisation for the survivor. INHOPE launches the new campaign "Shaping the Story" to address the portrayal of CSA in media outlets.

The 2021 edition of the Dutch Media Literacy Week (5-12 November 2021), or #WvdM, focused on the theme ‘Samen Sociaal Online’ (Together Social Online in English). In these times of polarisation, the central topic of the event revolved around how to make the online world a comfortable place for everyone. Thanks to the efforts of the network partners and ambassadors, there was a great deal of national attention around this subject.

In the second semester of 2020/21 school year, the Internet Class team of the Romanian Safer Internet Centre (SIC), with support from the Ministry of Education, delivered a campaign entitled "The FOMO phenomenon among young people and the pressure to be always online" in Romanian schools. FOMO – fear of missing out – is a very topical issue for young Romanians.

Many parents and carers constantly wonder who their child might be talking to on the internet, or what might be the best parental control app. Given that a third of internet users are minors, millions of parents and carers around the world face the same dilemmas. Mihaela Dinu, psychologist at Save the Children Romania, and Cristian China Birta, blogger, social media consultant and father of three, offer you some ideas on how you can teach your children to make good decisions on the internet without constantly having to monitor them.