Safer Internet Day 2017 is celebrated globally on Tuesday 7 February with the slogan “Be the change: Unite for a better internet”. Co-ordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre the celebration sees hundreds of organisations get involved to help promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.
An online poll, organised by BT to mark Safer Internet Day, taken by over 4500 adults, revealed that 85 per cent can't identify some abbreviations and emojis which is especially worrying when these refer to health for example MIA = bulimia. You can take the BT Quiz here to find out how you rate and what you need to know.
Facebook, as part of their commitment to safeguarding has improved Privacy Basics which now provides tips on bolstering the security of accounts, controlling where posts are distributed, understanding what level of access others have to their content.
Alongside these new improvements, is Facebook’s wider suite of tools and resources that help the community stay safe all of which can be found at their shortcut to all privacy tools.
The Safety Centre also provides resources so you can learn about our reporting and blocking tools and includes Facebook’s new Bullying Prevention Hub,a resource for teens, parents and educators seeking guidance on how to prevent and address bullying.
Plus there is the Parents Portal embedded within the Safety Centre which features resources specific to the needs of parents. The Portal provides parents with guidance on informing their children about online safety and helps them to navigate their experience, including resources from experts around the world.
The UK Safer Internet Centre – a partnership of three leading charities; Childnet, the South West Grid for Learning and the Internet Watch Foundation – provides resources for children, schools and families, and tools for getting involved.
Globally, Safer Internet Day is celebrated in over a hundred countries, coordinated by the joint Insafe/INHOPE network, with the support of the European Commission, and national Safer Internet Centres across Europe. The day offers the opportunity to highlight positive uses of technology and to explore the role we all play in helping to create a better and safer online community. It calls upon young people, parents, carers, teachers, social workers, law enforcement, companies, policymakers, and wider, to join together in helping to create a better internet.
Get involved to play your part.