Safer Internet Day
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The aim of Safer Internet Day is to inspire a UK wide conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively.
Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre the celebration sees hundreds of organisations get involved to help promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.
The UK Safer Internet Centre is a partnership of three leading charities – Childnet International, Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and the South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) - with a shared mission to make the internet a better place for children and young people. Globally, Safer Internet Day is celebrated in over a hundred countries, coordinated by the joint Insafe/INHOPE network, with the support of the European Commission, and national Safer Internet Centres across Europe.
Safer Internet Day: Tuesday 7 February 2023
Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity for children and young people, school staff, parents and carers and businesses in Wales to get involved in a truly global campaign.
UK theme - Making space for conversations about life online
This year we encouraged young people to voice their views, opinions or stories of using social media, gaming or apps. The platforms young people use are spaces for connection, community and collaboration, which is why Safer Internet Day challenges them to foster supportive relationships and respectful communities, whilst equipping them with the skills they need to keep themselves and others safe in these spaces.
Here is a round-up of Safer Internet Day 2023 activities.
Competition
The focus of this year’s competition was children’s voice.
When children and young people speak from experience, they can really help others, so we invited them to create a short film that communicates their views, opinions or stories of using social media, gaming or apps. In their own words, we wanted to hear about the benefits and the concerns they experience using these apps.
The winners were announced at a celebration event at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, on Safer Internet Day.
Activities
The UK Safer Internet Centre created education packs which are available bilingually on Hwb to support schools to run activities and get involved in Safer Internet Day 2023. These packs can be used throughout the year to help deliver online safety lessons.
For lesson plans, activities, worksheets and games from our trusted partners covering a range of topics visit the resources area of Keeping Safe Online.
Support us on social media
This year’s Safer Internet Day activities were promoted across Wales using #SIDCymru and globally using #SaferInternetDay
Register as a supporter
We will share a link once registration is open for 2024.
This page is updated regularly with Safer Internet Day news so please keep checking.
Previous campaigns
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Date: Tuesday 8 February 2022
Theme: All fun and games? Exploring respect and relationships online
Activities: The Welsh Government, in partnership with the BBFC, ran a film competition which aimed to encourage children and young people to express their creativity and share their understanding of showing respect online. The winners of the competition were announced by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles MS, on Safer Internet Day.
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Date: Tuesday 9 February 2021
Theme: An internet we trust: exploring reliability in the online world
Activities: The Welsh Government, in partnership with the UK Safer Internet Centre, ran a ‘Tackling misinformation digital storytelling’ competition calling on children and young people to use their creativity either through film, a written story or by recording an audio clip to explain what misinformation is, why it might be a problem, how we can recognise it and what we can do to protect ourselves and stop its spread. The winners of the competition were announced in a virtual event on Safer Internet Day.
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Date: 11 February 2020
Theme: Together for a better internet
Activities: The 2020 Safer Internet Day competition in Wales challenged children and young people to create a public announcement style advert aimed at friends and family based on the theme ‘A better internet: how to look after yourself and others’. Winners of the competition were announced by the Minister for Education, Kirsty Williams, at a VIP screening of the finalists’ films in Cardiff.
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Date: 5 February 2019
Theme: Our internet, our choice: Understanding consent in a digital world
Activities: Safer Internet Day 2019 focused on how consent works in an online context. The Welsh Government, in partnership with the UK Safer Internet Centre, published education packs on Hwb containing activities for schools in Wales to get involved with. These activities encouraged young people to explore how they ask, give, and receive consent online.
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Date: 6 February 2018
Theme: Create, Connect and Share Respect
Activities: The Welsh Government held an event in the Pierhead, Cardiff, to celebrate Safer Internet Day, where Kirsty Williams AM, Cabinet Secretary for Education, announced the winners of the Safer Internet Day 2018 competition, which asked children and young people to describe how they feel when they are online through words, film, art or music.
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Date: 7 February 2017
Theme: Be the change: unite for a better internet
Activities: Model Church in Wales School and Portfield School created photos show the impact online images have on their lives, as part of ‘The Power of Images’ photography project.
A Safer Internet Day event was held in the Senedd which was attended by over 150 children, young people and adults from across Wales. Kirsty Williams, Cabinet Secretary for Education, formally launched the Online Safety Zone on Hwb and announced the winner of the Online Safety Zone logo design competition.
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Date: 9 February 2016
Theme: Play your part for a better internet
Activities: The UK Safer Internet Centre in partnership with the Welsh Government ran a competition calling for Welsh schools to design an app to help make the internet a better place.
The winners were Cornist Park Primary School with the ‘Safe eExplorers’ app, containing a collection of information, links and advice about keeping safe online and Ysgol Y Preseli with My Username Generator. This app allowed young children (aged 5-11) to generate a Welsh or English username that is easy to remember and that doesn’t reveal any sensitive information about them.
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Date: 10 February 2015
Theme: Let’s create a better internet together
Activities: Many young people around Wales took on the challenge of creatively sharing a smile via social media to promote the theme of creating a better internet.
Safer Internet Day events took place around Wales including one in All Saints Primary School, which was attended by the Deputy Minister for Technology and Skills Julie James and another in Ysgol Gyfun Bro Morgannwg, which was attended by the Deputy Children’s Commissioner.