The Importance of Safer Internet Day

Tuesday 8^th February is Safer Internet Day. Safer Internet Day is a global campaign designed with the same motto – “Together for Better Internet” and is supported in approximately 170 countries in an effort to make the internet a safe place for children and young people.

What is Safer Internet Day?

Did you know that over 46.6 million people use the internet on a daily basis? You can only imagine how many of these are children/young adults. Believe it or not, 95% of people aged 3-18 have some form of access to home internet whether this be through a smartphone or gaming console.

Most children today in the UK live in a world surrounded by the internet. Back 10 years ago parents wouldn’t have thought they could access the internet via their fridge but they can! The children of today are surrounded by the internet and they don’t know any different. Us and parents take extra steps to ensure our children are safe when outside so why not inside and on the internet!

Safer Internet Day is a day designed for parents to focus on their children and the online world they live in to prompt awareness and underline the multitude of issues young people face now! Today’s objective is to provoke a discussion amongst adults on how technology is used by children and to encourage organisations to promote a safer and more responsible use of digital technology amongst the adults of our future.

Who is behind the awareness day “Safer Internet Day”?

Safer Internet Day is organised by the UK Safer Internet Centre who are partnered with three organisations: Childnet International, Internet Watch Foundation and SWGfL who all share the same mission, to make the internet a great and safe place for children and young people.

Who can get involved?

There is one simple answer to this question, everyone!

It’s important for as many people to join the discussion on making the internet a safer place for our children. Whenever you work as a teacher, social worker, law enforcement or even a dinner lady we all have a responsibility to join together in helping create a better internet.

What resources are available?

UK Safer Internet Centre have a range of resources aimed at making our children safer online which can all be found on their website.

For example, parents can download a “Family agreement” which sets out how the internet is going to be used within the family. This agreement helps your family stick together and agree on set times, websites or even devices someone may be able to access the internet on.

The UK Safer Internet Centre also provides a hotline for reporting and removing sexual images of children online. They have other hotlines for 1) Professionals working with children and young people and 2) everyone if you have any concerns about harmful online content.

What can you do to help?

If you want to be more involved in Safer Internet Day, you are able to:

• Register as a supporter
• Spread the message, via social media!
• Sign up for the Safer Internet Day Newsletter!
• Support them by following the campaign on @UK SIC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

What are our thoughts?

Here at Taylor Bracewell, we think it’s vital to keep our children safe online.

Here is what our Family Law team think about Safer Internet Day:

“Safer Internet Day is an excellent campaign as it’s designed to jump-start communication between parents and children in safer use of the internet.

With the increased usage of children on the internet, it’s more than likely that children may be exposed to harassment, malicious communication, indecent imagery & cyberbullying. All of which can be carried out in many ways.

It’s important now more than ever to start promoting a positive conversation about safer internet usage for our children. Having that open communication between parent and child can benefit their relationships long term.”

Taylor Bracewell Solicitors does not provide criminal law services, this article is intended to show our support for the campaign “Safer Internet Day 2022.”