Safer Internet Day

Safer Internet Day

Safer Internet Day is in February every year. On this day, people in around 170 countries take part in activities to try to make the internet a safer place for children and young people. 

Good things online

Safer Internet Day celebrates all the great things about being online. We can use the internet to learn new things, video call family members who live far away, chat to friends, listen to music, watch videos and play games. 

Dangers online

But there can also be dangers when we are online, and Safer Internet Day helps us learn about these dangers and what to do to stay safe.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying, or online bullying, is when someone uses the internet to make another person feel bad, often with nasty messages on messaging apps or social media. Online bullying can happen in games too, when players post unkind messages in the chat box. It's really important to tell an adult if you ever see any bullying. 

What happens on Safer Internet Day?

On Safer Internet Day in the UK, children do activities at school, at home, in youth groups and in other places. They do quizzes and worksheets, read stories, watch films, make posters and have discussions about how to stay safe online. 

How to stay safe online

• If you see something bad, tell an adult.

If you see something online which makes you scared or worried, or if you know that someone is being bullied, tell a parent, a teacher or another adult who you trust. If someone is unkind while you are playing a game, an adult can help you report or block that player. 

• Don't give any personal details online. 

Personal details are things like your full name, address, phone number, email address or password.

• Don't meet people who you only know online.

It's possible that people you meet online aren't really who they say they are. It can be dangerous to go to meet them in real life. 

• Be responsible with what you post.

When you talk to someone online, be polite! Don't post any messages, pictures or videos that you don't want everyone to see. 

• Make good, strong passwords.

Choose passwords that are easy for you to remember, but difficult for other people to guess. Never share your passwords with other people. 

• Don't open messages from people you don't know.

If a message doesn't look real, don't open it. It could contain a virus. Be careful with the emails, links, files and pictures you open. If you're not sure, ask an adult.

• Don't believe everything you read online!

Not everything you read online is true. When you look for information, make sure that you use a website you can trust. And only share things with your friends if you know that they are true.

• Make good use of your time online.

There are so many fun and interesting things to do online. It's easy to spend a lot of time in front of a screen. But make sure you don't spend too many hours online, and do other activities too! 

So, now you know how to stay safe online every day of the year. Why don't you talk to your friends and family about it to make sure they stay safe online too? Happy Safer Internet Day!