Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology, especially for children and young people, and to inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly and respectfully.
The internet is a huge source of information, communication and entertainment. However not all people online are trustworthy, and this can put our children, young adults, and even older people in dangerous situations.
From cyberbullying to social networking to digital identity, each year Safer Internet Day aims to raise awareness of emerging online issues and current concerns, with many online seminars and learning activities.
Make sure that you and your children know the SMART way to use the internet:
Safety: Ensure that your personal information and passwords are kept private. Do not give your contact details to people online, use your real name as a username, and always check the privacy settings on the websites you register in, or allow your children to use.
Meet: Do not meet with people you met online if you didn’t know them before, even if that person is an online friend that you thing you might know well.
Accept: Do not accept emails, instant messages or friend requests from people you don’t know. Messages might contain viruses or unpleasant images, and ‘friends’ can see everything you post on social or gaming networks
Reliable: Not all information you read on the internet is reliable. One of the many dangers in this is that people post false information or use false identities online to trick or harm people.
Tell: Make sure that your children know that if something online makes them uncomfortable, that they have an adult they can talk to or report inappropriate behaviour to first to their parents, and with your guidance to report these people to the various platforms and, where appropriate, to the cybercrime directorate. For your best information you can visit the Cyprus Police website cyberalert.cy where you can find more information regarding cybercrime.
The internet can be a fun, educational tool if we can all use it responsibly!