Greek Safer Internet Centre
About the organisation
The Greek Safer Internet Centre (SIC) has the ultimate goal of promoting safer, responsible, and better use of the internet and mobile technologies among children and young people, interacting with all stakeholders to bridge the digital divide between home and school and between generations. It was launched in July 2016 under the auspices of the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas and, in particular, the Institute of Computer Science. It provides information, assistance and support to young and adult internet users by developing three distinct actions:
- through the SaferInternet4Kids.gr website,
- through the Help-line, and
- through the Hotline dealing with illegal content, SafeLine.
Awareness centre
Description: Saferinternet4kids.gr aims to create public awareness and to provide reliable information to minors and their parents about the proper and safe use of online technologies. The Awareness Centre also provides supportive material to educators and social workers, in order for them to become multipliers of awareness messages within the classroom and beyond.
Helpline
Description:The Helpline of the Greek Safer Internet Centre (SIC), 210 6007686, operates on working days from 9:00 to 17:00. It offers support via telephone, email and chat in cases of harmful content and conduct, such as excessive internet use, bullying or exposure to inappropriate online content. It primarily addresses minors, parents and educators, but can also be consulted by the general public, industry, government and public services.
Hotline
Description:SafeLine.gr is the Hotline for reporting illegal content and conduct on the internet. SafeLine's primary concern is the elimination of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from the internet and the fight against illegal content in general. SafeLine collaborates with internet service providers (ISPs), the Greek Research and Technology Network, the Greek School Network, and with the Greek police in order to restrict the flow of illegal online content and have it removed.
Youth participation
Description: The Greek Youth Panel is composed of 27 members from various locations in Greece. The youth panelists are in various educational levels; elementary school, gymnasium and lyceum.
Members of the Youth Panel participate, exchange opinions and receive education from events organised at pan-European level between Youth Panel representatives of the other European awareness centres. The members of the Youth Panel meet twice a year, setting out the policy they will follow in order to raise awareness among their peers. From the very first meeting, young people's concerns about whether they will receive the appropriate skills to become responsible digital citizens have been highlighted.
Key successes
The Greek Safer Internet Centre (SIC), in its four years of operation, under the auspices of the Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas, engages in a series of actions to raise awareness and provide information about internet safety for children, young people, parents and educators.
Awareness and empowerment efforts include the creation and provision of educational material that can be used in the classroom or at home with the primary goal of adopting good practices of internet use while promoting the positive aspects of technology.
- 2,300,000 visitors on www.saferinternet4kids.gr.
- 30,000 followers on Facebook; 13,000 followers on Twitter; presence on Instagram.
- 450+ informative events in schools.
- 70+ major informative events in central locations nationwide.
- 3 major events for the celebration of Safer Internet Day (SID) under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs.
- 3 national student competitions, organised on the occasion of Safer Internet Day, under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs.
- Two national surveys concerning the online behaviour of children and teenagers with more than 14,000 participants between 10 and 17 years of age, under the approval of the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs. The survey is the largest one on this topic ever performed in the country.
- Online surveys for parents.
- 450 articles on internet safety.
- 72 informative leaflets.
- 35 PowerPoint presentations.
- 25 educational videos.
- 17 online webinars for teachers.
- 5 e-books for small children.
- Educational material for kindergarten children.
- 60+ posters with a variety of messages.
- 20 online quizzes.
- Informative educational material has already been created for people with special needs and children with special educational needs.
Key partners/supporters
The Greek Safer Internet Centre (SIC) networks at national level with all relevant stakeholders (Ministries, the Police authorities, ISPs, NGOs, Consumers' Unions, etc.), bringing them together into a single united body, the Advisory Board of the Centre, that meets up once a year, while engaging jointly in a variety of other activities throughout the year. The Advisory Board acts as an open communication channel transferring to key national organisations news from the EC and the European networks, and injecting best practices and the highlights of the European scenery related to safer internet. Complementary, the Advisory Board acts as an information exchange body, promoting dialogue and helping carry the message of safer internet through all major stakeholders in Greece.
Composition of the Advisory Board:
Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs, General Secretariat of Information, Cyber Crime Unit of the Greek Police Criminal Investigation Department, Police Headquarters, Greek Hellenic Data Protection Authority, The Panhellenic School Network, Facebook, OTE/Cosmote, Google Hellas, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Law National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Law National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Experimental Psychology Laboratory University of the Aegean, Department of Information & Communication Systems Research Center Demokritos, Youth Office of the Archdiocese of Athens, UNICEF, Umbrella NGO, Consumers Union EKPIZO, Juvenile Probations Officers.
Additional links/resources
- Annual report 2019-2020
- Large-scale research 2019-2020 on children's online safety in Greece
- Large-scale research 2018-2019 on children's online safety in Greece
- SaferInternet4Kids quiz
- SaferInternet4Kids hot topics
- Resources for Safer Internet Day (SID) 2020
- Video: Internet safety with simple words! (in Greek with English subtitles)
- Video: Cyberbullying with Athina and Hermes (in Greek with English subtitles)
Resources
