Creating a better Internet together on Safer Internet Day 2014

Creating a better Internet together on Safer Internet Day 2014

February 11 is Safer Internet Day, an annual international event organized by InSafe to help promote safer and more responsible use of online technologies, especially by young people. 

We know how highly connected youth are, and over the last few years the way they access the Internet has moved from fixed desktop computers to mobile and portable devices. Our latest Young Canadians in a Wired World research shows just how central these mobile technologies are in the role of young peoples’ lives - with the majority (just like adults) connecting using phones, tablets, MP3 players and even gaming devices.

What this means is an increased need to provide young people with the knowledge and skills to be ethical and responsible users of the technologies they carry with them, ensuring a positive and safe experience for themselves and those around them.

Young people rely on the adults in their lives to provide them with the information they need for their online activities. Our research shows that 45% of youth learn about online issues like cyberbullying, privacy, authenticating information and staying safe, from their parents and 41% learn about them from teachers.

To help our users mark this year’s Safer Internet Day and to celebrate the theme “creating a better Internet together,” we’ve put together a list of resources for use at home and in the classroom.

Here's how you can get involved:

Join us for a live webinar about how we can keep kids safe online
Today at 1pm EST, Matthew Johnson, our Director of Education, will be joining TELUS for a live webinar discussing our latest Young Canadians in a Wired World research. Find out more: http://mediasmarts.ca/blog/upcoming-webinar-keeping-our-kids-safe-online-hosted-mediasmarts-and-telus

Download the Think Before You Share guide and print off the free poster
Working with Facebook, we developed a guide and a poster to provide teens with the tools they need to share safely, wisely and ethically. Download a copy of the guide or print off the poster to hang in your home, classroom, computer lab, community centre or library.  

Teach kids about ethical online use using our Stay on the Path program
Teaching kids to behave ethically means teaching to respect themselves and other people. Our Stay on the Path program includes an interactive tutorial to help adults talk to kids about ethics, empathy and respect. It also includes tip sheets for parents and a series of lesson plans for teachers on issues such as avoiding unwanted content online, treating others with respect, and finding legitimate sites to download media.

Share these resources with your networks
If you find these resources helpful, it's likely someone else will too. Help make the Internet a safer place by giving friends and family the tools they need to talk to the young people in their lives.

Happy Safer Internet Day!