Educating each other to stay safe on-line

Educating each other to stay safe on-line is this year's message for Safer Internet Day 2012, which took place this week (Tuesday, February 7). 

Safer Internet Day takes place each year on the first Tuesday of February to promote safe internet use through out the UK and Europe.  Each year has a particular theme, this year it is about connecting generations "Discovering the Digital world together…safely."  It is encouraging families to work together to stay safe on-line, by recognising that people of all ages and experience bring a vital perspective to the subject. 

Local research has shown that around 95 per cent of the young people surveyed feel safe on line. However much of their activity on-line indicates that they may not be, this includes the sharing of personal information, meeting people only previously met on-line without suitable safeguards and not using privacy settings on social networking sites.  Not only this, but worryingly 35 per cent of 8 year olds claim to have Facebook accounts which represents them as being someone older then they really are*.

Together with West Mercia Police, Worcestershire Safeguarding Children Board is reminding anyone who is concerned about keeping children and young people safe on line about the WES  portal (http://wes.networcs.net/index.html).  Launched last year this provides advice for all to help young people understand the risks and offers tips to avoid the dangers when using electronic media such as the internet and mobile phones.

John Dickinson, Worcestershire County Council's Children Protection Advisor  said: "Tech savvy youngsters can teach their elders how to use the latest technologies available.  By contrast adults who may have less confidence when using the internet may have more understanding of the potential risk associated with its use and can draw on their life experiences to advise younger generations how to stay safe on line, as they discover the digital world together."

For further information about activities for Safer Internet Day 2012, please visit: http://www.saferinternetday.org/