Staying safe online
Inspiring change for the better is the theme for Safer Internet Day 2024.
Safer Internet Day takes place every year in February. It is a way to get young people, parents and carers, teachers and even politicians to talk about how to stay safe online. The event was first held in 2004 and now involves around 190 countries across the world, according to its organisers.
2024’s Safer Internet Day takes place on 6 February, and like previous years there’s a theme. This year it is “Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online”. That’s a bit of a mouthful, but it means talking about how young people feel about new technology and change; how they can use the internet to make change for the better; and asking them what changes they would like to see online to make them feel safer.
Social-media apps, messaging and online forums often get the most attention in discussions about influence and digital wellbeing. However, for 2024’s Safer Internet Day, artificial intelligence (AI) technology will be a big talking point too.
A survey last November found that 53% of young people had used an AI chatbot like ChatGPT or Snapchat’s My AI in the last year, and were interested in exploring how this technology could be used in their lives. Safer Internet Day aims to help schools and families talk freely and confidently about how to use these kinds of services safely, appropriately and positively.
Internet Safety Day’s official website has downloads such as films, stories and ideas to spark conversations with friends, classmates, teachers, parents and guardians about being safe online.
The activities for seven to 11-year-olds include thinking about how tech has changed through time and how it might develop in the future – from gaming and music to watches and phones.