Austria Safer Internet Centre Saferinternet.at and Safer Internet Day in Austria Safer Internet Day (SID) is a special occasion for promoting a more responsible use of online technologies. In Austria the celebrations are traditionally coordinated by the initiative Saferinternet.at with the aim of engaging as many schools as possible. Since 2011, the campaign has been extended from one day to the whole month of February under the title “Safer Internet Month of Activity”.
In 2013 we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Safer Internet Day with the slogan “Connect with respect!” and provide all useful information on the specialised website: www.saferinternetday.at.
What is Saferinternet.at planning for SID 2013?
“Hier heimisch” (Here at Home) is the title of the new Saferinternet.at hit! The song is about young people and how they feel about the internet and how they keep themselves and their relatives safe online. The song was recorded by the children choir Tonvoll from Vienna and is accompanied by a cheerful music video:
Schools and youth centres are invited to perform the song, remix it or adapt the lyrics and send their recordings to Saferinternet.at. At the end of the Safer Internet Month of Activity a video cut from all contributions will be released by Saferinternet.at on its website. We heard that many schools are already rehearsing! The whole Safer Internet Song package including lyrics, soundtrack, music video and choreography can be found under: www.saferinternet.at/song.
After a year, Austrian schools will again have the opportunity to celebrate Safer Internet Day through various self-designed activities throughout the month of February. Best practice will be published and three entries awarded. The campaign is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education, Culture and Arts.
The school initiative has been largely promoted since October 2012 via various channels, such as popular websites for teachers and on events. Registered schools will receive a Safer Internet kit containing useful materials, including the SID 2012 best practice compendium for inspiration.
Saferinternet.at has commissioned a representative survey among Austrian parents of pre-school children (3 – 6-year-olds). It should verify if and how do parents accompany their children in discovering the online worlds. We foresee around 400 face to face interviews with Austrian parents who will answer to a set of 14 questions.
In addition to that, Saferinternet.at has prepared a brand new teachers’ handbook with the title “Safer Internet in the Kindergarten”. As usual, the resource will contain practical information for pedagogues as well as ready to use exercises.
Both, the new handbook and the results of the survey will be presented on a press conference, on Safer Internet Day.
Youth centres all over Austria will offer its visitors a free check of privacy settings on their Facebook profiles and give further safety tips. Due to big success in 2011 and 2012, the campaign is repeated and reflects the latest changes.
The biggest Austrian internet provider A1 Telekom Austria supports Safer Internet Day activities also in 2013. In the framework of the social initiative "A1 Internet für Alle" (Internet for All) the company will offer a customised workshop programme for schools on its campus. The young ones can make an “Internet Safety Check” and get an “Internet Driver’s License”.
Microsoft in cooperation with the Austrian Computer Company (ÖCG) organizes a Day of Activity when many of its staff members go to schools and train pupils on privacy and online safety.
Several ongoing competitions for young people support the idea of Safe Internet Day – Talents Austria, the Lörnie Award and Computer Talents Austria.
The Federal Ministry of Education, Culture and Arts published an official decree encouraging all schools to take part in the campaign Safer Internet Month of Activity.
At the ocassion of Safer Internet Day 2013 and in cooperation with Saferinternet.at, the Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth published the parents’ guide “Media in the Family” - in three additional language versions (beside German) - English, Turkish and Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian. What online rights and responsibilities mean to us... In our discussions with young people we often hear that „on the Internet everything is allowed”. Some, though, argue that no matter if you are online or offline, your rights and responsibilities remain the same. So who’s right? Almost all of them found something on the Internet that upset them – a nasty comment, an embarrassing photo posted without their consent or password misuse. On the other hand, the Internet is a place to make positive experiences – friends expressing support to friends in a difficult situation, getting positive acclaim for what you have done, sharing your own piece of creative work with the online community; the Internet is also an endless source of inspiration and knowledge for people from all walks of life. Young people have obviously many questions about their online rights and responsibilities but they seem to have little opportunities to have them answered in full or to learn about them. Indeed, there are just a few people who are aware that there are some rules, and even a law, that apply to the online life and are here to protect them. Therefore we at Saferinternet.at are convinced that school is an ideal place to both teach young people about their online rights and responsibilities and also empower them to act if something goes wrong for them online. For this end we offer schools workshops and printed material all through the year, and every February they are invited to make their own Safer Internet projects within the Safer Internet Month of Activity. About Saferinternet.at
The initiative Saferinternet.at empowers children, parents and teachers to use the internet, as well as other information and communication technologies, safely, responsibly and effectively.Saferinternet.at runs an information campaign, provides information material about the safe use of the internet, organises events, runs a helpline for children and works closely with all Austrian projects in the area of safer internet as well as the European Internet Safety network (Insafe). Handywissen.at, a partner project of Saferinternet.at, focuses on raising awareness for a safe and responsible use of mobile phones.
Services offered by Saferinternet.at:
The Austrian Safer Internet Centre consists of the Austrian Awareness Centre Saferinternet.at, the helpline 147 Rat auf Draht and the hotline Stopline. It is coordinated by the Austrian Institute for Applied Telecommunications (ÖIAT). One of the consortium partners is also the Association of Austrian Internet Service Providers (ISPA). Saferinternet.at co-operates intensely with public authorities, non-governmental organisations and industry partners. The initiative is funded by the European Commission (Safer Internet Programme), federal ministries and internet industry (A1Telekom Austria). | 
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