Working for a Safer Online Environment for Young People

On 9 February 2016, over 100 countries will celebrate Safer Internet Day #SID2016 to encourage the safe and responsible use of online technology, particularly among children and young people. This year’s theme, ‘Play your part for a better Internet’, highlights the role that we all have to play in ensuring the Net is a safe space for children to play and learn.

The Internet is an indispensable educational and social tool for children, with digital literacy fast becoming a necessary skill in the information society. However, though an unprecedented level of services and information is available online, we need to recognize and mitigate against the dangers that the online world can pose for children. We must constantly strive to create an online environment that encourages positive creativity, empowerment and participation while ensuring the safe and secure use of the Internet by those most vulnerable. This increased access to the Internet means it’s ever more important to be aware of, and guard against, the potential dangers faced by young people online, whether the risk comes from grooming, online bullying, being exposed to inappropriate sexual content or the misuse and theft of personal data.


Working for a Safer Online Environment for Young People