About our SID activities
For Safer Internet Day 2026 on February 10, BeSmartOnline, Malta’s Safer Internet Centre (SIC), will launch a comprehensive campaign focused on digital well-being. This year’s theme emphasises balanced online habits, mental health in digital spaces, and proactive strategies to prevent harms like cyberbullying and excessive screen time. Activities will target the public, schools, children, and parents through targeted outreach and key collaborations, including with the Digital Safety Coordinator (DSC).
Public outreach
Public events will feature interactive stands on well-being red flags, as well as raising awareness of risky behaviours, online abuse, and the latest trends, including the use of AI and how it could be used to abuse (to take action against), with our main aim being online well-being on the day. Free resources, such as a well-being toolkit, including checklists, will be distributed online to encourage community-wide conversations.
School outreach
In-person sessions in schools will deliver workshops for children on healthy screen habits and safe social media, alongside parent sessions on family media plans and spotting digital distress. A youth panel will create a video with a peer-to-peer message, disseminated to all schools.
Media and collaborations
Multiple media interventions will include traditional media such as newspaper articles, TV, and radio appearances, alongside social media campaigns. Planned collaborations with the DSC, Malta Police Cybercrime Unit, Ministry for Education, and Office of the Commissioner for Children will support outreach efforts, with the DSC potentially featuring sessions aimed toward CSOs, academia, media, and authorities to amplify reach and promote helpline use (179) together with its trusted flagger status.
What we are doing to create a better internet...
This year, BeSmartOnline focuses on digital well-being to support children and individuals in living healthy, balanced lives alongside their digital experiences. Through collaborative outreach with partners such as the Digital Safety Coordinator, the Malta Police Cybercrime Unit, the Ministry for Education, and the Office of the Commissioner for Children, we promote proactive strategies to address cyberbullying, risky behaviours, and AI-related risks. Together, our school workshops, public events, youth videos, media campaigns, and well-being toolkits empower communities for a better internet.
About us
BeSmartOnline serves as Malta’s Safer Internet Centre (SIC) and the national Safer Internet Day (SID) Committee, dedicated to empowering children, youth, parents, educators, and communities to have safer online experiences. Our mission focuses on proactive education, rapid response to online harms, and fostering digital citizenship in line with the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) initiative and the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Our core role
Led by the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS), with key partners including the Office of the Commissioner for Children, the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, and the Malta Police Force Cybercrime Unit, BeSmartOnline operates the online safety helpline and the ChildWebAlert hotline. These services provide free, confidential support for reporting illegal content, cyberbullying, grooming, and other risks, ensuring swift multi-stakeholder interventions. We deliver evidence-based resources, training, and awareness campaigns tailored to Malta’s diverse communities.
Additional links / resources
About our SID activities
For Safer Internet Day 2026 on February 10, BeSmartOnline, Malta’s Safer Internet Centre (SIC), will launch a comprehensive campaign focused on digital well-being. This year’s theme emphasises balanced online habits, mental health in digital spaces, and proactive strategies to prevent harms like cyberbullying and excessive screen time. Activities will target the public, schools, children, and parents through targeted outreach and key collaborations, including with the Digital Safety Coordinator (DSC).
Public outreach
Public events will feature interactive stands on well-being red flags, as well as raising awareness of risky behaviours, online abuse, and the latest trends, including the use of AI and how it could be used to abuse (to take action against), with our main aim being online well-being on the day. Free resources, such as a well-being toolkit, including checklists, will be distributed online to encourage community-wide conversations.
School outreach
In-person sessions in schools will deliver workshops for children on healthy screen habits and safe social media, alongside parent sessions on family media plans and spotting digital distress. A youth panel will create a video with a peer-to-peer message, disseminated to all schools.
Media and collaborations
Multiple media interventions will include traditional media such as newspaper articles, TV, and radio appearances, alongside social media campaigns. Planned collaborations with the DSC, Malta Police Cybercrime Unit, Ministry for Education, and Office of the Commissioner for Children will support outreach efforts, with the DSC potentially featuring sessions aimed toward CSOs, academia, media, and authorities to amplify reach and promote helpline use (179) together with its trusted flagger status.
What we are doing to create a better internet...
This year, BeSmartOnline focuses on digital well-being to support children and individuals in living healthy, balanced lives alongside their digital experiences. Through collaborative outreach with partners such as the Digital Safety Coordinator, the Malta Police Cybercrime Unit, the Ministry for Education, and the Office of the Commissioner for Children, we promote proactive strategies to address cyberbullying, risky behaviours, and AI-related risks. Together, our school workshops, public events, youth videos, media campaigns, and well-being toolkits empower communities for a better internet.
About us
BeSmartOnline serves as Malta’s Safer Internet Centre (SIC) and the national Safer Internet Day (SID) Committee, dedicated to empowering children, youth, parents, educators, and communities to have safer online experiences. Our mission focuses on proactive education, rapid response to online harms, and fostering digital citizenship in line with the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) initiative and the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Our core role
Led by the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS), with key partners including the Office of the Commissioner for Children, the Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation, and the Malta Police Force Cybercrime Unit, BeSmartOnline operates the online safety helpline and the ChildWebAlert hotline. These services provide free, confidential support for reporting illegal content, cyberbullying, grooming, and other risks, ensuring swift multi-stakeholder interventions. We deliver evidence-based resources, training, and awareness campaigns tailored to Malta’s diverse communities.
Additional links / resources
