In the spotlight: Safer Internet Centre Cyprus

The Cyprus Safer Internet Centre, CYberSafety, has been operating with European funding since July 2016. CYberSafety aims to strengthen efforts for the creative and safe use of the internet in Cyprus. Focusing on the new and growing needs at the national and European levels, the centre promotes cooperation between the national bodies involved to create a safe internet culture in Cyprus. The project consortium of CYberSafety includes the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute (CPI), which is the coordinator of the project, as well as the Digital Security Authority (DSA), Pancyprian School for Parents (PSP), University of Cyprus (UCY), Cyprus University of Technology (CUT), and Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CYTA).

The consortium’s main internet safety awareness portal is hosted at internetsafety.pi.ac.cy. It contains information and resources aimed at children, teens, parents and teachers, as well as news and announcements and information on a range of activities, including Safer Internet Day (SID) campaigns, workshops and educational programmes. However, a new website focusing on media literacy has also been launched (medialiteracy.pi.ac.cy).  

One of the awareness centre’s major activities is to provide workshops, presentations, lectures, and seminars to students, teachers, and parents. At the beginning of the school year, a circular is sent to all schools in Cyprus, and there is an online platform for information and registration that schools can apply to at any point throughout the year. 

Furthermore, the awareness centre organises various events throughout the year and has been organising Safer Internet Day events since 2018. This includes a SID conference, school visits, and media coverage of the day and activities. In parallel to SID celebrations, a student video production contest has been taking place since 2012, with the theme centred around Safer Internet Day. 

In terms of awareness-raising resources, the following were highlighted during the meeting:  

• Cyber Safety Family Advice Suite: This is a suite of cyber safety tools that uses machine learning classifiers to detect cyber safety threats. The suite works on Facebook and YouTube, and parents receive a notification about any threat detected on their child’s profile or account. 
• eFollowMe: A 3D game about the risks of the internet with a particular focus on digital footprints; teachers typically use it as part of their lessons. The players must complete various missions, make decisions, and take quizzes related to their digital footprint. It can be downloaded free on Windows and MacOS. 
• PrivacySaferII: A browser extension that limits the collection of personal data based on preferences and choices. 
• Parent/guardian tool: This tool aims to raise awareness of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

The Cyprus Safer Internet Centre works closely with children and young people to consider their experiences, ideas and views. They are empowered to formulate proposals and actions regarding the safe use of the internet and digital technologies. Members of the CYberSafety Youth Panel act as ambassadors for best practices and actions, aiming to create innovative resources and spread messages about safe internet use to their peers, adults and other stakeholder groups. There are currently 56 registered members of the youth panel, with around 10-15 seen as core members. 

The helpline service of the Cyprus Safer Internet Centre operates six days a week and is available for free via telephone (1480), email (1480helpline@cyearn.pi.ac.cy, CYberSafetyHelpline@cpi.ac.cy), online form and chat services. The service is operated by the CPI. The helpline also participates in the trusted flagger programmes of several social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. It also maintains communication channels with relevant bodies in Cyprus, including the police, internet service providers (ISPs), and various commissioners. 

Similar to the helpline service of the Cyprus Safer Internet Centre, the hotline is also operated by the CPI through the same means of contact: telephone (1480), email (1480hotline@cyearn.pi.ac.cy), online form and chat. Helpline and hotline operators receive training; these sessions aim to provide new trainees with the necessary information to work on the services. This training focuses on: 

• Counselling in the field of children's and youth's safety on the internet. 
• Assistance in cases of suspected or confirmed threats to children on the internet. 
• Interventions in cases of child abuse through the internet. 
• Improving the knowledge and skills of professionals who work in fields related to children's safety on the internet. 
• Counselling in the field of child abuse prevention. 

Further information about the Cyprus Safer Internet Centre can be found on the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) public portal, including links to its national websites and other contact information. Similar information can be found on the BIK portal for all Safer Internet Centres in Europe.