About the organisation
The Finnish Safer Internet Centre (FISIC) exists to promote a safer and better use of the internet, online technologies, and media among children, young people, and adults. Activities of FISIC are embedded in the core work of three key players in the field of Finnish internet safety and media education: Finnish Arts and Culture Agency (Kuvi), Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL) and Save the Children Finland (SFC).
Awareness centre
The objective of the awareness centre is to raise citizens' awareness and competences in creating better and safer internet and other digital and media environments. The awareness centre organises awareness-raising campaigns and develops materials and toolkits for dissemination. Cross-sectorial dialogue and partnerships with national organisations and close co-operation with the academic research community are essential for reaching the objectives. Awareness raising is a joint effort of all the three organisations: Kuvi, MLL and SCF.
One of the main awareness-raising efforts of the Finnish Safer Internet Centre (FISIC) is the annual Media Literacy Week (MLW) in February. It includes the Safer Internet Day (SID) campaign. The MLW is planned and carried out together with around 60 partner organisations and the actions are implemented in various educational institutions.
FISIC also coordinates the Nordic Game Week in an effort to promote game literacy through hundreds of local events in November. In addition, the awareness centre organises an annual Media Education Forum supporting national cross-sectoral cooperation and partnerships. Several campaigns, educational materials and events are created or promoted by the awareness centre annually.
The awareness centre is also responsible for the coordination of the entire Finnish Safer Internet Centre.
Contacts and opening hours:
You can contact the awareness centre during office hours via email: toimitus@mediataitoviikko.fi.
Helpline
MLL is responsible for operating the helpline. The main objective of the helpline is to answer online questions and telephone calls from children and parents related to children's use of online technologies. Parents and children can obtain advice on how to deal with harmful contact (grooming), harmful conduct (cyberbullying), and harmful content, and uncomfortable or scary experiences of using online technologies.
All helpline volunteers go through basic training before they start volunteering. The volunteers are also offered training on online safety issues and are provided with online safety support material.
Contacts and opening hours:
Helpline for children and young people:
- Phone number 116 111 (Open Mon-Fri from 14:00-20:00, and Sat-Sun from 17:00-20:00).
- Chat is open every evening from 17:00-20:00. You can also book an appointment for that chat or write an online letter. Find more information here.
Helpline for parents:
- Phone number 0800 922 77 (Mon 10:00-13:00 and 17:00-20:00, Tue 10:00-13:00 and 17:00-20:00, Wed 10:00-13:00, Thu 14:00-20:00, Fri 10:00-13:00).
- Chat is open Mon, Tue, Fri 10:00-13:00, Thu 17:00-20:00. You can also book an appointment for that chat or write an online letter. Find more information here.
Hotline
SCF is an important player in protecting children in digital media. Through education and training, SCF improves children and adolescents' understanding of safe behaviour on the web as well as that of the professionals who work with children.
Since 2002, SCF has maintained the web-based Finnish Hotline (Nettivihje) service. The hotline works to prevent child sexual abuse online and to speed up the removal of child sexual abuse material from the internet. The Finnish Hotline aims to protect the rights of the child and prevent re-victimisation.
The Finnish Hotline is a part of the International Association of Internet Hotlines (INHOPE). Hotlines allow any web user to report online imagery or activity related to sexual exploitation and abuse of children. Any image that is suspected of being illegal can be reported anonymously. The work of the Finnish Hotline consists of assessment, classification and analysis of the reports using state-of-the-art technology and systems according to international criteria.
The Finnish Hotline passes on the information about any material and activity it assesses to be potentially illegal to the National Bureau of Investigation of Finland so that appropriate measures can be taken. Information about material hosted outside of Finland suspected to be illegal is forwarded to the country in question through the INHOPE network. This enables further measures to be taken and the rapid removal of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
SCF has, in cooperation with the Finnish Criminal Sanctions Agency and the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), created a CBT based online self-help programme, for people who are worried about their sexual interest in children. The programme can be used anonymously and free of charge.
Contact:
Report to Finnish Hotline (Nettivihje):
- In English.
- In Finnish.
- For young people, in Finnish.
Youth participation
Children and young people's participation is included in project actions whenever reasonable: not just by one single youth panel but in various groups of different-aged minors. However, MLL leads the action. Youth participation actions are involved, for example, in the Peer Student Programme implemented in 80 per cent of Finnish schools and in the Online Peer Student Programme carried out in youth voluntary groups.
Awareness-raising campaigns, such as Media Literacy Week (MLW) and other awareness-raising work, encourages children and young people to actively participate in order to improve their media skills and take action in matters concerning their rights and well-being in the current media culture.
How can you get involved?
If you are interested in becoming a Youthnet volunteer, please find more information on the process here. If you are interested in joining the FISIC youth panel, find more information here.
Key successes
The Finnish Safer Internet Centre (FISIC) works with a well-established multi-stakeholder network, involving the public sector, private sector and civil society to help make the internet a trusted environment through actions that empower and protect users online.
Here are some key figures of FISIC:
- More than 100 organisations involved and contributing to FISIC.
- Media Literacy Week participated in annually by around 1,800 local level institutions such as day-care
centres, youth centres, schools, libraries etc. - More than 400 local events arranged during the Finnish Game Week.
- More than 80 media education professionals participating annually in the Media Education Forum.
- 152 school visits and workshops for parents organised with 6,800 participants nationwide.
- 125,000 helpline contacts, of which 526 related to online media via chat, phone or email.
- 280,000 authenticated visits in YouthNet (2021).
- Over 5,500 messages and 9,000 readers in the YouthNet discussion forum
- 3,000 reports received and processed annually by the Finnish Hotline Nettivihje.
- More than 10,000 individual images/videos are processed annually in ICCAM - database (or equivalent).
- 500 informative messages shared offline or online, for example in social media, annually on CSAM/CSEM (child sexual abuse material/child sexual exploitation material) and other sexual, exploitative material of children.
- Annual report published on illegal and grey area images of children. Better understanding and analysed data on illegal CSAM and exploitative sexual material (known as Grey Area Images) to be used as a basis for consulting and advocacy work.
- 20 national or international events or trainings organised or participated in as lecturers or trainers annually on preventing the production and consumption of CSAM and other sexual, exploitative material of children. More than 1,000 professionals have annually participated in these events and their knowledge about risks related to child sexual harassment, abuse and exploitation through digital devices has been enormously increased, and their awareness of ways and tools to protect children online has improved.
Key partners/promoters
The Finnish Safer Internet Centre (FISIC) is a joint project of three individual organisations: Finnish Arts and Culture Agency (Kuvi), Save the Children Finland (STC) and Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL). Each organisation has an established role in Finnish society and strong national and international relations. The main national supporter of the project is the Ministry of Culture and Education.
About the organisation
The Finnish Safer Internet Centre (FISIC) exists to promote a safer and better use of the internet, online technologies, and media among children, young people, and adults. Activities of FISIC are embedded in the core work of three key players in the field of Finnish internet safety and media education: Finnish Arts and Culture Agency (Kuvi), Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL) and Save the Children Finland (SFC).
Awareness centre
The objective of the awareness centre is to raise citizens' awareness and competences in creating better and safer internet and other digital and media environments. The awareness centre organises awareness-raising campaigns and develops materials and toolkits for dissemination. Cross-sectorial dialogue and partnerships with national organisations and close co-operation with the academic research community are essential for reaching the objectives. Awareness raising is a joint effort of all the three organisations: Kuvi, MLL and SCF.
One of the main awareness-raising efforts of the Finnish Safer Internet Centre (FISIC) is the annual Media Literacy Week (MLW) in February. It includes the Safer Internet Day (SID) campaign. The MLW is planned and carried out together with around 60 partner organisations and the actions are implemented in various educational institutions.
FISIC also coordinates the Nordic Game Week in an effort to promote game literacy through hundreds of local events in November. In addition, the awareness centre organises an annual Media Education Forum supporting national cross-sectoral cooperation and partnerships. Several campaigns, educational materials and events are created or promoted by the awareness centre annually.
The awareness centre is also responsible for the coordination of the entire Finnish Safer Internet Centre.
Contacts and opening hours:
You can contact the awareness centre during office hours via email: toimitus@mediataitoviikko.fi.
Helpline
MLL is responsible for operating the helpline. The main objective of the helpline is to answer online questions and telephone calls from children and parents related to children's use of online technologies. Parents and children can obtain advice on how to deal with harmful contact (grooming), harmful conduct (cyberbullying), and harmful content, and uncomfortable or scary experiences of using online technologies.
All helpline volunteers go through basic training before they start volunteering. The volunteers are also offered training on online safety issues and are provided with online safety support material.
Contacts and opening hours:
Helpline for children and young people:
- Phone number 116 111 (Open Mon-Fri from 14:00-20:00, and Sat-Sun from 17:00-20:00).
- Chat is open every evening from 17:00-20:00. You can also book an appointment for that chat or write an online letter. Find more information here.
Helpline for parents:
- Phone number 0800 922 77 (Mon 10:00-13:00 and 17:00-20:00, Tue 10:00-13:00 and 17:00-20:00, Wed 10:00-13:00, Thu 14:00-20:00, Fri 10:00-13:00).
- Chat is open Mon, Tue, Fri 10:00-13:00, Thu 17:00-20:00. You can also book an appointment for that chat or write an online letter. Find more information here.
Hotline
SCF is an important player in protecting children in digital media. Through education and training, SCF improves children and adolescents' understanding of safe behaviour on the web as well as that of the professionals who work with children.
Since 2002, SCF has maintained the web-based Finnish Hotline (Nettivihje) service. The hotline works to prevent child sexual abuse online and to speed up the removal of child sexual abuse material from the internet. The Finnish Hotline aims to protect the rights of the child and prevent re-victimisation.
The Finnish Hotline is a part of the International Association of Internet Hotlines (INHOPE). Hotlines allow any web user to report online imagery or activity related to sexual exploitation and abuse of children. Any image that is suspected of being illegal can be reported anonymously. The work of the Finnish Hotline consists of assessment, classification and analysis of the reports using state-of-the-art technology and systems according to international criteria.
The Finnish Hotline passes on the information about any material and activity it assesses to be potentially illegal to the National Bureau of Investigation of Finland so that appropriate measures can be taken. Information about material hosted outside of Finland suspected to be illegal is forwarded to the country in question through the INHOPE network. This enables further measures to be taken and the rapid removal of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
SCF has, in cooperation with the Finnish Criminal Sanctions Agency and the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), created a CBT based online self-help programme, for people who are worried about their sexual interest in children. The programme can be used anonymously and free of charge.
Contact:
Report to Finnish Hotline (Nettivihje):
- In English.
- In Finnish.
- For young people, in Finnish.
Youth participation
Children and young people's participation is included in project actions whenever reasonable: not just by one single youth panel but in various groups of different-aged minors. However, MLL leads the action. Youth participation actions are involved, for example, in the Peer Student Programme implemented in 80 per cent of Finnish schools and in the Online Peer Student Programme carried out in youth voluntary groups.
Awareness-raising campaigns, such as Media Literacy Week (MLW) and other awareness-raising work, encourages children and young people to actively participate in order to improve their media skills and take action in matters concerning their rights and well-being in the current media culture.
How can you get involved?
If you are interested in becoming a Youthnet volunteer, please find more information on the process here. If you are interested in joining the FISIC youth panel, find more information here.
Key successes
The Finnish Safer Internet Centre (FISIC) works with a well-established multi-stakeholder network, involving the public sector, private sector and civil society to help make the internet a trusted environment through actions that empower and protect users online.
Here are some key figures of FISIC:
- More than 100 organisations involved and contributing to FISIC.
- Media Literacy Week participated in annually by around 1,800 local level institutions such as day-care
centres, youth centres, schools, libraries etc. - More than 400 local events arranged during the Finnish Game Week.
- More than 80 media education professionals participating annually in the Media Education Forum.
- 152 school visits and workshops for parents organised with 6,800 participants nationwide.
- 125,000 helpline contacts, of which 526 related to online media via chat, phone or email.
- 280,000 authenticated visits in YouthNet (2021).
- Over 5,500 messages and 9,000 readers in the YouthNet discussion forum
- 3,000 reports received and processed annually by the Finnish Hotline Nettivihje.
- More than 10,000 individual images/videos are processed annually in ICCAM - database (or equivalent).
- 500 informative messages shared offline or online, for example in social media, annually on CSAM/CSEM (child sexual abuse material/child sexual exploitation material) and other sexual, exploitative material of children.
- Annual report published on illegal and grey area images of children. Better understanding and analysed data on illegal CSAM and exploitative sexual material (known as Grey Area Images) to be used as a basis for consulting and advocacy work.
- 20 national or international events or trainings organised or participated in as lecturers or trainers annually on preventing the production and consumption of CSAM and other sexual, exploitative material of children. More than 1,000 professionals have annually participated in these events and their knowledge about risks related to child sexual harassment, abuse and exploitation through digital devices has been enormously increased, and their awareness of ways and tools to protect children online has improved.
Key partners/promoters
The Finnish Safer Internet Centre (FISIC) is a joint project of three individual organisations: Finnish Arts and Culture Agency (Kuvi), Save the Children Finland (STC) and Mannerheim League for Child Welfare (MLL). Each organisation has an established role in Finnish society and strong national and international relations. The main national supporter of the project is the Ministry of Culture and Education.
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