About the organisation
The Norwegian Safer Internet Centre (SIC) aims to effectively coordinate activities to empower children and young people to use online technologies in a safe and positive way. Its main goal is to raise awareness and increase media literacy among children, parents, teachers, and other professionals working with children on online issues and online risks. The helpline services give advice and support to young people on issues related to their use of online technologies.
The SIC collaborates with many different partners from both the private and public sectors, and from NGOs to Ministries, to ensure joint awareness-raising activities and development of common resources and tools.
SIC profile content last reviewed: March 2025
Awareness centre
The awareness centre is operated by the Norwegian Media Authority. The centre's goal is to:
- increase media literacy and digital skills among children and youth;
- ensure the internet provides a positive and safe environment for children;
- raise awareness and mitigate online risk among children and young people;
- hear the voice of children and young people to better understand the challenges and opportunities of using digital technologies.
The centre performs a wide range of awareness-raising activities by itself and in cooperation with its key collaborating partners in the Norwegian Online Safety Network. Some of the main activities are as follows:
- Media literacy activities.
- Develop, disseminate and promote new and existing tools.
- Develop strategies to reach, and guide, parents and teachers.
- Organise events and seminars in collaboration with key partners.
- Involve children and organise regular youth participation activities and panels.
Contact
Write an email to: info@medietilsynet.no.
Helpline
The Norwegian Red Cross' dialogue service Kors på halsen (Cross My Heart) is the national helpline for children and youth up to 18 years on issues related to online use. The helpline service is free of charge and operates a phone number, chat, e-mail and forum.
Cross My Heart is staffed by approximately 250 volunteers, consoling and providing support and advice to children. The service is anonymous, and deal with all aspects of young people's lives, thoughts and questions – including their digital lives.
Contact and opening hours
Chat opening hours 14:00-22:00.
Telephone opening hours 14:00-22:00
You can contact the helpline by chat, telephone or email on the helpline website. : http://www.korspahalsen.no.
Hotline
The Norwegian Criminal Investigation Service (NCIS/Kripos) is the national hotline, and unit for fighting organised and other serious crime – including exploitation and abuse of children and the spread of illegal material involving children online. The Norwegian Safer Internet Centre (NSIC) has a strong relationship with the NCIS. They are a part of the NSIC Advisory Board, and participate in network meetings and joint events.
Contact and opening hours
The Norwegian Criminal Investigation Service (NCIS/Kripos) is the national hotline.
Contact via emergency number available 24/7.
Other points of contact open 08:00-15:00:
Telephone: 23 20 80 00
E-mail: kripos@politiet.no
Find more information here.
Youth participation
The youth perspective is an integrated part of the Norwegian Safer Internet Centre's services. Regularly meetings with children-, youth- and expert panels are carried out. The panelists are consulted when decisions are made, and when tools directed at their age group and younger are developed. Adolescents also play an active part in conferences, seminars and social media events arranged by the SIC. One of the Youth Panel members is seated in the Norwegian SIC's Advisory Board, and also participates in national conferences such as the annual BIK Youth Panel.
How can you get involved?
The youth panel is organized through the helpline team, please contact korspahalsen@redcross.no if you would like to get involved.
Key successes
The work carried out by the Norwegian Safer Internet Centre (SIC) is well founded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) - in terms of right to information, expression, participation and last, but not least, the right to protection. The issues raised by children and young people's use of digital media, in many cases, challenges several of these rights at the same time.
Leaning on knowledge gained from facts, surveys and contact with the target groups, the SIC offers a balanced and nuanced view concerning benefits, risks and harm, and strives to maintain all of these rights at the same time.
Key partners/promoters
The Norwegian Media Authority is the national coordinator of the Norwegian Safer Internet Centre (SIC). Along with the helpline, Cross My Heart, the SIC aims to ensure children and young people have a safe digital life. The Norwegian SIC's network consists of more than 30 collaborating partners from ministries, non-profit and voluntary organisations, businesses and industry organisations - all working for the same goal.
Key collaborating partners (in alphabetical order):
- ICT Norway (IKT Norge): the interest group for the Norwegian ICT industry.
- Kids and Media (Barnevakten): non-profit organisation providing parents and professionals with information and advice on children and young people's digital lives.
- National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos): national hotline, and the unit for fighting organised and other serious crime.
- National Parents' Committee for Primary and Secondary Education (FUB/FUG): National committee for parents who have children in kindergarten and in primary or secondary school.
- Norwegian Centre for Information Security (NorSIS/Slettmeg.no): an independent organisation and partner to the government, businesses and research facilities in the subject of cyber security.
- Norwegian Consumer Authority (Forbruktilsynet): an independent administrative body with the responsibility of supervising measures in the market and seek to exert influence on traders to observe the regulatory framework.
- Norwegian Data Protection Authority (Datatilsynet): facilitates protection of individuals from violation of their right to privacy through processing of their personal data.
- Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training (Utdanningsdirektoratet – direktoratet for barnehage, grunnopplæring og IKT): overall responsibility for supervising kindergarten, education and the governance of the education sector, as well as the implementation of Acts of Parliament and regulations.
- Ombudsman for Bullying (Mobbeombudene): separate regional agencies that work closely with kindergartens and schools.
- The Ombudsperson for Children (Barneombudet): advocate for children and young people's rights. Ensure that the opinions of children and young people are heard and that adults respect their rights.
- Save the Children Norway (Redd Barna).
- Telenor: provider of mobile- and online services in Norway.
- Ung.no: the public information channel for young people. Provide information about rights, opportunities and obligations.
Ministries:
- Ministry of Culture
- Ministry of Children and Families
- Ministry of Education and Research
- Ministry of Health and Care Services
- Ministry of Justice and Public Security
- Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation
The six ministries form an interdepartmental group with a particular responsibility ensuring children and young people have an active and safe digital childhood.
Additional links / resources
About the organisation
The Norwegian Safer Internet Centre (SIC) aims to effectively coordinate activities to empower children and young people to use online technologies in a safe and positive way. Its main goal is to raise awareness and increase media literacy among children, parents, teachers, and other professionals working with children on online issues and online risks. The helpline services give advice and support to young people on issues related to their use of online technologies.
The SIC collaborates with many different partners from both the private and public sectors, and from NGOs to Ministries, to ensure joint awareness-raising activities and development of common resources and tools.
SIC profile content last reviewed: March 2025
Awareness centre
The awareness centre is operated by the Norwegian Media Authority. The centre's goal is to:
- increase media literacy and digital skills among children and youth;
- ensure the internet provides a positive and safe environment for children;
- raise awareness and mitigate online risk among children and young people;
- hear the voice of children and young people to better understand the challenges and opportunities of using digital technologies.
The centre performs a wide range of awareness-raising activities by itself and in cooperation with its key collaborating partners in the Norwegian Online Safety Network. Some of the main activities are as follows:
- Media literacy activities.
- Develop, disseminate and promote new and existing tools.
- Develop strategies to reach, and guide, parents and teachers.
- Organise events and seminars in collaboration with key partners.
- Involve children and organise regular youth participation activities and panels.
Contact
Write an email to: info@medietilsynet.no.
Helpline
The Norwegian Red Cross' dialogue service Kors på halsen (Cross My Heart) is the national helpline for children and youth up to 18 years on issues related to online use. The helpline service is free of charge and operates a phone number, chat, e-mail and forum.
Cross My Heart is staffed by approximately 250 volunteers, consoling and providing support and advice to children. The service is anonymous, and deal with all aspects of young people's lives, thoughts and questions – including their digital lives.
Contact and opening hours
Chat opening hours 14:00-22:00.
Telephone opening hours 14:00-22:00
You can contact the helpline by chat, telephone or email on the helpline website. : http://www.korspahalsen.no.
Hotline
The Norwegian Criminal Investigation Service (NCIS/Kripos) is the national hotline, and unit for fighting organised and other serious crime – including exploitation and abuse of children and the spread of illegal material involving children online. The Norwegian Safer Internet Centre (NSIC) has a strong relationship with the NCIS. They are a part of the NSIC Advisory Board, and participate in network meetings and joint events.
Contact and opening hours
The Norwegian Criminal Investigation Service (NCIS/Kripos) is the national hotline.
Contact via emergency number available 24/7.
Other points of contact open 08:00-15:00:
Telephone: 23 20 80 00
E-mail: kripos@politiet.no
Find more information here.
Youth participation
The youth perspective is an integrated part of the Norwegian Safer Internet Centre's services. Regularly meetings with children-, youth- and expert panels are carried out. The panelists are consulted when decisions are made, and when tools directed at their age group and younger are developed. Adolescents also play an active part in conferences, seminars and social media events arranged by the SIC. One of the Youth Panel members is seated in the Norwegian SIC's Advisory Board, and also participates in national conferences such as the annual BIK Youth Panel.
How can you get involved?
The youth panel is organized through the helpline team, please contact korspahalsen@redcross.no if you would like to get involved.
Key successes
The work carried out by the Norwegian Safer Internet Centre (SIC) is well founded in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) - in terms of right to information, expression, participation and last, but not least, the right to protection. The issues raised by children and young people's use of digital media, in many cases, challenges several of these rights at the same time.
Leaning on knowledge gained from facts, surveys and contact with the target groups, the SIC offers a balanced and nuanced view concerning benefits, risks and harm, and strives to maintain all of these rights at the same time.
Key partners/promoters
The Norwegian Media Authority is the national coordinator of the Norwegian Safer Internet Centre (SIC). Along with the helpline, Cross My Heart, the SIC aims to ensure children and young people have a safe digital life. The Norwegian SIC's network consists of more than 30 collaborating partners from ministries, non-profit and voluntary organisations, businesses and industry organisations - all working for the same goal.
Key collaborating partners (in alphabetical order):
- ICT Norway (IKT Norge): the interest group for the Norwegian ICT industry.
- Kids and Media (Barnevakten): non-profit organisation providing parents and professionals with information and advice on children and young people's digital lives.
- National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos): national hotline, and the unit for fighting organised and other serious crime.
- National Parents' Committee for Primary and Secondary Education (FUB/FUG): National committee for parents who have children in kindergarten and in primary or secondary school.
- Norwegian Centre for Information Security (NorSIS/Slettmeg.no): an independent organisation and partner to the government, businesses and research facilities in the subject of cyber security.
- Norwegian Consumer Authority (Forbruktilsynet): an independent administrative body with the responsibility of supervising measures in the market and seek to exert influence on traders to observe the regulatory framework.
- Norwegian Data Protection Authority (Datatilsynet): facilitates protection of individuals from violation of their right to privacy through processing of their personal data.
- Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training (Utdanningsdirektoratet – direktoratet for barnehage, grunnopplæring og IKT): overall responsibility for supervising kindergarten, education and the governance of the education sector, as well as the implementation of Acts of Parliament and regulations.
- Ombudsman for Bullying (Mobbeombudene): separate regional agencies that work closely with kindergartens and schools.
- The Ombudsperson for Children (Barneombudet): advocate for children and young people's rights. Ensure that the opinions of children and young people are heard and that adults respect their rights.
- Save the Children Norway (Redd Barna).
- Telenor: provider of mobile- and online services in Norway.
- Ung.no: the public information channel for young people. Provide information about rights, opportunities and obligations.
Ministries:
- Ministry of Culture
- Ministry of Children and Families
- Ministry of Education and Research
- Ministry of Health and Care Services
- Ministry of Justice and Public Security
- Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation
The six ministries form an interdepartmental group with a particular responsibility ensuring children and young people have an active and safe digital childhood.
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