Safer Internet Day 2012 - Get involved! Safer Internet Day 2012 - Get involved!

This year, Safer Internet Day (SID) will took place on Tuesday 7 February 2012, centred on the theme Connecting generations and educating each other, with the slogan: "Discover the digital world together... safely!".

This page contains information and resources relating to the SID 2012 campaign. We will soon start updating it with information on SID 2013, so please come back often to check out the latest news.

About Connecting Generations

This topic looks at the reach of the online world across all generations and cultures and encourages families to work together to stay safe online. Whether you are 5, 40 or 75 years old, whether you use the internet once a month or several times a day - each person has something different to bring to the table that can help shape our online experiences and our understanding of online competences and safety. We all have a role to play in ensuring that every child is safe online.

Today our offline and online worlds are strongly connected, from families communicating via webcam with relatives and friends abroad to children doing their homework online. The online world is a unique arena where people of all ages can learn together and from each other, especially regarding online safety. Tech savvy youngsters can teach their elders how to use new technologies, while grandparents can draw on their life experiences to advise younger generations on how to stay safe online, as they discover the digital world together.

Did you know that..?

  • 26 per cent of children report having a public social networking profile.
  • Children of all ages are lacking digital skills –confidence is often not matched by skill!
  • 12 per cent of European 9-16 year olds say they have been bothered or upset by something on the internet…
  • …however, 56 per cent of parents whose child has received nasty or hurtful messages online are not aware of this.
  • One in eight parents don’t seem to mediate their children’s online activities…
  • …while 56 per cent of parents take positive steps such as suggesting to their children how to behave towards others online.
  • 44 per cent of children think that parental mediation limits what they do online, 11 per cent say it limits their activities a lot.

Helping each other stay safe online:

  • Teachers’ engagement with children’s internet use is least among 9-10 year olds.
  • 36 per cent of 9-16 year olds claim that they definitely know more about the internet than their parents.
  • 73 per cent of children say their peers have helped or supported their internet use.
  • 44 per cent of children claim to have received some guidance on safe internet use from their friends, and 35 per cent say that they have also provided such advice to their friends.
  • Yet, children say they receive most online safety advice from parents (63 per cent), then teachers (58 per cent), other relatives (47 per cent), then peers (44 per cent).
  • Parents get internet safety advice first and foremost from family and friends (48 per cent).
  • 87 per cent of children use the internet at home.

Want to know how to take part in SID?

You can spread the word by attending or organising an event! You can register for Safer Internet Day on this website (schools / individuals / organisations) and complete the online form. Insafe will then contact you; if you reside in one of our network countries, this contact will be from your National Awareness Centre.

No national contact point? They why not set up a SID Committee in your country! Contact the SID helpdesk at SID-helpdesk@eun.org to create your own.

Now you're ready to organise your event. You can use the resources on this page to help you.

Looking for ideas?

Look at some of our previous actions for inspiration:

  • Post our banner / publish our press release on your website.
  • Follow our Facebook and Twitter pages.
  • Spread the word through the media.
  • Host an event such as a conference on online safety in your community.
  • Arrange workshops in schools and private companies.
  • Orchestrate debates between young people and policy-makers.

Don’t forget to keep your National Awareness Centre or SID Committee informed so that they can valorise your action.

Promotional materials:

Resources: 

New for 2012, an online SID kit for schools has been developed and was launched online in January 2012. It contains information about SID, promotional materials, suggested learning and awareness activities as well as eSafety resources. The kit can be accessed online here.