Feb 6 is Safer Internet Day

Over 40 countries will observe the ‘Fourth Annual Safer Internet Day’, on February 6, 2007, to raise awareness about Internet safety, across the globe. This year, the focus of the event, conducted by over 100 organizations, will be on child safety and mobile phones.

The event, organized by European Schoolnet, includes a worldwide blogathon, which will reach Australia on February 6 and progress westward through the day to finish up in the USA and Canada. Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for the Information Society and Media is once again patron of Safer Internet Day, as in the past two years.

Moreover, Insafe, in cooperation with eTwinning is organizing a competition for more than 200 schools in 25 countries across the globe. These youngsters have been working in pairs, using technology to cross geographical borders, to create internet safety awareness material on one of three themes: e-privacy, netiquette, and power of image. On Safer Internet Day, all these projects will be uploaded to the blogathon.

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In addition, 15 of Europe’s leading mobile operators and content providers will sign the ‘European Framework on Safer Mobile Use by Younger Teenagers and Children’ with the support of the European Commission.

Safer Internet Day is organized by the European Internet safety network, Insafe, which is co-funded by the Safer Internet Program. Also the national awareness nodes that the Commission co-funds are arranging activities to raise awareness on Safer Internet Day. Insafe has been collecting data over the past two months through an online survey, to find out more about young people’s use of the internet and mobile phones. Preliminary results will be made available on Safer Internet Day along with additional information, for parents, teachers and youngsters, in an online media room.

Safer Internet Day 2007 is celebrated in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America.

Across the globe, hundreds of events will highlight the growing importance of internet safety in the lives of youngsters today.