Better Internet for Kids

Dangerous social media trends have become more common among young people, and parents often feel that they are alone. The service warns about dangerous social trends that are gaining visibility. The site also provides information on what harmful and online challenges are and how to talk about them with your child.

Stop, think and talk - dangerous social challenges is a learning material aimed at 7th-9th grades and as a theme for youth work. 

The assignments encourage you to think about safe social media use and how to act if you encounter a harmful or dangerous social media challenge. The material is digital cards, from which you can choose either all, or part, according to the schedule.

This report describes the media education provided to young people by The Mannerheim League For Child Welfare in 2023, youth participation and their activities in digital environments. The main channels of MLL media education for young people are YouthNet (Nuortennetti.fi) and the social media sites of YouthNet, lessons given in schools, workshops and media surveys. We met 7 113 children and young people in our media education lessons. We discussed topics such as online bullying, balanced media use, gaming, digital friendship skills and respectful encounters.

The invitation to participate in this competition is extended to children and teachers who have engaged in our plan to conduct activities promoting safety principles online.

Our theme, "Adolescents' wellbeing in the digital world", addresses the crucial need to prioritize digital wellbeing among young individuals and explores how they choose to cultivate and maintain it amidst persisting online risks.

"Don't let the burden of cyberbullying crush you!" is an initiative aimed at addressing the effects and risks of cyberbullying on children and young people, emphasising the importance of digital education. 

The initiative encourages the use of available video resources and teaching materials to initiate discussions on cyberbullying prevention and intervention strategies. Participants are urged to understand responsible Internet use and to learn methods to mitigate the risks they may encounter online.

The aim of this guide is to provide teachers, adults working with children and young people with easily understandable theoretical resources and practical application recommendations within educational activities, without the need for advanced technologies. In addition to statistical information resulting from sociological research conducted by Save the Children Organization at national level, the material presents important arguments regarding responsible Internet use by children.

These educational activity scenarios, tailored for each educational level, are designed to help preschoolers and students understand the risks present in the online environment and how to protect themselves. 

Each scenario presents a moral story and key questions that teachers can address, recommendations, as well as activities that parents can do at home with their children based on the themes covered.

To counteract excessive device usage, "Discovering joy offline" provides children with a diverse range of captivating and interactive alternatives to spend their summer vacation. Outdoor camps, creative workshops, and involvement in volunteer or community activities are just a few of the options available to allow children to develop physically, intellectually, and emotionally outside the digital environment.

This guide is addressed to parents who wish to improve their skills, knowledge, and parenting behaviors to facilitate a healthy and functional relationship with their children.

The study represents an investigation of the impact of cyberbullying on children and adolescents, conducted through an online survey targeting individuals aged 8 to 17 who have internet access. 

The primary goal of this study is to analyse the frequency, types, and consequences of cyberbullying on young people, as well as how they perceive their own experiences and react to them. The results obtained will provide essential insights for understanding and managing this phenomenon in the online environment.