Safer Internet Day (SID) is organised every year to actively encourage safer and more responsible use of online communications and technology. This noble initiative, organised by Insafe and co-sponsored by the European Union, is especially aimed at children and young people across the globe.
Safer Internet Day was celebrated (last month) with a number of initiatives being taken all over the world. This important occasion was also celebrated by the EU with European Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes rewarding creators of the best online content for children. Furthermore, the Youth Manifesto on how to make a better internet built on feedback from young people was launched together with Insafe.
In 2012, the European Union launched the European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children. This strategy aims to enable children to develop “the skills and tools they need to fully and safely benefit from being online”.
The EU plans to use this strategy to encourage more websites to offer attractive educational and creative material to generate more beneficial use of the web by children. In order to implement and achieve this, a number of goals have been set by the EU:
Stimulate the production of creative and educational online content for children as well as promote positive online experiences for young children.
Scale up awareness and empowerment, including teaching digital literacy and online safety in all EU schools.
Create a safe environment for children through age-appropriate privacy settings, wider use of parental controls and age rating and content classification.
Combat child sexual abuse material online and child sexual exploitation.
The strategy goes into detail as to what the contributions of the EU, the business community and individual member states should be for this is rightly not something that should be imposed from above. Yes, the initial push has been given by Europe but there are opportunities out there, opportunities whereby stimulus is given to the creation of websites, apps and games that are high in educational and creative content. In turn, it is envisaged that the use of such sites will enable both educators and their students to reap benefits from the web in a safe environment.
Such a strategy could not have come at a better time. In the light of the recent unfortunate incidents involving young people having their selfies shared and distributed via mobile technology, it is clear that more needs to be done locally to educate our children and young adults.
There needs to be the right online environment for the younger generations
The first fundamental thing they need to learn is that what they share online will stay there forever and can haunt them in years to come. This is especially true on a small island like ours where one simply cannot get lost in the anonymity of another large city.
Today, many parents know the web well and are fully aware of its pros as well as of its cons. Parents need to discuss web-related issues openly with their children. Parents and teachers should be at the front line of such a campaign and the first to offer proper guidance. This issue has been discussed at European level and it is a debate which I hope will develop locally, sooner rather than later.
However, it would be mistaken to see this as an imposition from parents and teachers. This may lead to children and young people to perceive this initiative as a new imposition, which it is not.
In fact, to address this potential slip, the strategy document encourages member states to “involve children when developing national campaigns and/or legislation with an impact on their online activities”.
Such a ‘bottom up’ approach will bring together all concerned with potentially more credible and practical results.
Furthermore, I am looking forward to harsher penalties against those who take advantage of our kids when online.
These people exist and will continue to be lurking around the net trying to trap any innocent kid who posts selfies or pictures online or who unknowingly chats with them without knowing precisely who they are communicating with.
As a young parent myself, I feel very strongly about the creation of the right online environment for our younger generations. I will personally work towards implementing this strategy and ensure that it functions properly and produces the results, which I am sure each and every one of us would like to see.
As a nation, we should aim to become a leader in this field with initiatives being backed by both parties.
This is a noble cause that transcends political differences and, if we all pull one rope (in the same direction), then results can be obtained quickly and efficiently. Together, we can work towards achieving this.
Miriam Dalli is a Labour candidate for the MEP elections.