Safer Internet Day (SID) is being celebrated in Europe on Tuesday February 7th. SID is an annual event that promotes safer and more responsible use of the Internet and mobile phones, especially amongst children and young people across the world.
 

This year SID will be centred around the theme Connecting Generations and Educating Each Other, with the slogan: "Discover the Internet together... safely!"

About Connecting Generations
This topic 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 safety. We all have a role to play in ensuring that every child is safe online.

Parents and Teachers – Did you know?

• Teachers’ engagement with children’s Internet use is least among 9-10 year olds. 87 per cent of children use the Internet at home.
• 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).
  (Source: EU Kids Online)

Today our offline and online worlds are strongly connected, from families communicating via webcam with relatives 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.

Connect the Generations

Teachers

1. Visit Webwise to see how your students can get involved.  See the primary and post-primary classroom activities 
2. Download and add the SID banner from Webwise and add to your school website or class blog
3. Check out the Scoilnet Internet Safety themepages for primary learning activities.
4. Take a look at the links on the post-primary Internet Safety themepage.
5. To help celebrate SID NCTE Learning Online will make a short online course “Internet Safety in School & Classroom” available to teachers as temporary Guest Users.  Check in the week beginning the 6th February!
6. Follow our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Parents

1. Take part in some fun Internet activities with your child to Connect the Generations!  Suggestions here.
2. Why not attend one of the many free Internet Safety Parenting Seminars running nationwide in February?  Find venue details on Webwise on Facebook.

Primary Children

1. SID this year is about “Discovering the Internet together… safely!”  Why not explain SID and the Connecting Generations theme to your parents?
2. Take part in some fun Internet activities with your parents.  Details to follow shortly!

Post-Primary Students

1. Follow our Facebook and Twitter pages.
2. Check out the in-school activities on Webwise and suggest a SID event for your school. 
3. Download the SID logo or banner for your Facebook page from Webwise on Facebook.
4. Check out the EU Youth Panel website; join the blog spot or read about the EU Youth Panellists like Seán from the Webwise Youth Panel at the Safer Internet Forum.

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