Better Internet for Kids

BEE SECURE (an initiative of the Luxembourgish Safer Internet Centre) recently published its 2020 annual report. This edition marks the initiative's tenth anniversary and provides an overview of a year full of activities, most of which took place online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the years have passed by, the amount of time that Greek children and young people spend online has constantly increased. This year, the pandemic has rapidly accelerated this trend, and now even the elderly and very young children have begun to use the internet daily. A downside of this increased exposure is that unfortunately, one in five children in Greece has been exposed to online grooming. Here, the Greek Safer Internet Centre provides some tips for parents and carers to help tackle this phenomenon.

The Insafe network of helplines collects data about the types of calls received and this is analysed every three months to look at trends, and new and emerging issues. The most recent helpline data covers the period from January to March 2021 and, once again, there has been an increase in the number of contacts made to the helplines. The current reporting period saw almost 17,400 contacts: an increase of almost nine per cent on the previous quarter.

Sex and eroticism are no longer just part of the private domain of adults spending intimate moments behind closed doors. Today, nudity, documented in various ways, might circulate uncontrollably in the virtual world. Here we explore the impact of leaked private photos.

The days when “bullying“ only took place in school classrooms and locker rooms are long gone. With the rise of technology, interesting content has emerged in the digital world, but with it has come the flip side of anonymity on online platforms and social networks. What makes online bullying different? What do you need to watch out for? And how can you defend yourself if you're a victim?

Poland managed to beat last year’s record for the number of local initiatives organised on Safer Internet Day (SID). The 2021 edition of the campaign resulted in 4,700 institutions actively involved in undertaking online safety-related initiatives.

A password is like a key to the doors of the online universe. It protects personal information and secures access to profiles or accounts. It is essential to talk about confidentiality with children and encourage them to configure a strong password. To help adults do so, the Belgian Safer Internet Centre is sharing a range of advice on the topic.

The Belgian Safer Internet Centre is sharing guidelines for children and youth, parents and educators to follow in order to deal with cyberbullying incidents that may potentially arise on social media.

Bullying and cyberbullying often go hand in hand. School bullying is easily repeated online and continues at home. Dealing with cyberbullying is part of a global approach to fighting school bullying. It is important to establish an open conversation about the phenomenon with children and parents. To help in doing so, the Belgian Safer Internet Centre is sharing some tips below.

New challenges occur regularly online, especially following social media trends. Their popularity among children is variable. Prevention comes through a frank and straightforward dialogue with children and youth, even among those who seem not to be interested. Challenges often unfold privately, for example, in a teenager’s bedroom, away from adults.