Safer Internet Day 2023
Safer Internet Day is an annual event which aims to bring families, communities, schools, and organisations from across the world together, to help create safer online spaces.
This year, Safer Internet Day is turning 20! Safer Internet Day 2023 will give people across the world the opportunity to look back at two decades worth of technology, acknowledge how things have changed, and commit to a better and safer future.
The theme for 2023 is Connect. Reflect. Protect. So, what does that mean?
Well firstly, why are we telling you about this?
Shocking statistics shared by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner show that:
- Almost 50% of children were treated in a hurtful way online in the past year
- 1 in 10 children has been the target of hate speech online
- 30% of teens have been contacted by a stranger online
- 47% of 14-to-17-year old’s received an inappropriate message from someone within the past year
- 32% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples experienced hate speech (that’s double the national average!)
With figures like these, there’s definitely a reason to get involved this Safer Internet Day!
Connect
Connect safely and with purpose – remember to keep your apps and devices secure, and to use social media platforms in a positive way.
From a safety side, this includes ensuring that your passwords are strong and never reused, setting up two-factor authentication, not sharing identifying information online and making sure your accounts are private.
For adults with young people in their lives, this means discussing cyber security and internet safety with them. This could be done in many ways, but the Australian Cyber Security Centre has a great checklist to help you make sure that your kids are safe online! Find it here.
Reflect
Reflect before we act. This stage is all about thinking about your impact, so take a moment, and consider how your words and actions affect those that you interact with online.
Cyberbullying is such a big issue, so it’s important to remember that there is a person behind every screen and that kindness is key. As adults, it is our job to teach the kids and teens in our lives about this issue.
Here is a detailed resource from the eSafety Commissioner that discusses building digital intelligence from a young age.
Protect
Protect ourselves and others by taking action. It is vital to share the importance of eSafety, and discuss with others your experiences on the internet.
You could do this by telling your friends, family or colleagues about eSafety and how it impacts others. Importantly, this also means discussing cyber safety with the little people in your life, and making sure that they are set up to safely use the internet.
