Safer Internet Day Committees and Supporters – resources in response to COVID-19

As children and young people spend increased time online during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we have an ever-more-essential duty to ensure that they have access to a high-quality digital environment where they can learn, connect and exchange with their families and friends, have fun, discover the world, and express their creativity.

Date 2020-04-30 Author BIK Team Section awareness

Safer Internet Day (SID) takes place in February of each year to promote a safer and better internet across the globe. Through this initiative, we have gathered a network of like-minded organisations – in the form of Safer Internet Day Committees and Supporters – who all strive to provide the best opportunities for children and young people online, all year round. Recognising the global impact of COVID-19 and the widespread lockdown response, we have reached out to our SID contacts to see how they are responding to this new reality in the form of information, support and resources on the topic, especially for parents, carers, teachers and educators.

Below you can find a range of articles and resources organised by Committee or Supporter, and typically in national languages, on staying safe online during the coronavirus pandemic.

* Please note – resource listings are being added to regularly, so please
check back often for the latest information *

Safer Internet Day Committees – resources in response to COVID-19

Flag of AustraliaFollowing requests from organisations around the globe, the Australian Office of the eSafety Commissioner has developed a Global online safety advice for parents and carers – COVID 19 resource, which takes the form of an e-book and a PDF that other organisations can edit and localised with relevant national contacts (hotlines, helplines, support agencies) and information. The resource can be translated into local languages in addition to the five other UN languages the guide has been translated into, in partnership with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). An Australian-specific version of the booklet is available.

The advice is a collation of the eSafety Office's best online safety information, tailored to address the questions and needs of parents caring for children in isolation at home during this pandemic. There are tip sheets on a range of potential online harms ranging from misinformation, managing time online, using parental controls, online gaming, sending nudes and sexting, online pornography, cyberbullying, grooming and online child sexual exploitation as well as help-seeking and mental wellbeing.

In addition, the eSafety Office has developed other COVID-19 materials, which include a range of blog posts, advice, tips and resources for parents and carers, educators, seniors, women and domestic and family violence, and frontline workers.

Flag of Malaysia

CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) hosted a Cyber Forum on COVID-19 entitled "When Aunty Kiah Goes Digital" on Facebook Live. The event looked at issues such as nurturing digital fluency among internet users, teaching and learning among school students during the COVID-19 pandemic, online threats and mental health during COVID-19 among children and teenagers, and best practices to avoid online threats.

 

 

Safer Internet Day Supporters – resources in response to COVID-19

Logo of AvastAvast has launched Be Safe Online by Avast, a free and engaging online course for children aged 9-15 (in Czech), that will help them avoid uncomfortable situations online. The course was written by a top Czech influencer and a team of online safety experts from Avast and Palacky University.

 

Logo of COFACE-Families EuropeCOFACE-Families Europe has published its Digital Families Map, collecting innovative practices from COFACE Member organisations on topics such as boosting digital skills, protecting children online, fostering digital inclusion of the most vulnerable, providing digital services to families, dealing with certain risks such as cyberbullying, using ICT to boost independent living, and more. In addition, from Monday, 11 to Wednesday, 20 May 2020, the organisation will host a webinar series called Digital Citizenship Breakfast Bytes. Recognising the fact that the ongoing coronavirus crisis is plunging all of us into the digital age, the 90-minute sessions will look at a range of relevant topics such as video games and civic engagement, responses to online hate, responding to bullying in its various forms, and critical thinking and advertising. The webinar series will commence with an opening address by Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Margrethe Vestager.

Logo of SMARTFENSEIn Argentina, SMARTFENSE has organised a series of webinars, in Spanish, on:

SMARTFENSE has also published a free awareness service related to COVID-19 and working securely from home (in Spanish, Portuguese and English). In response to the need of many organisations to train and educate their collaborators on secure remote working, SMARTFENSE is making its platform available free of charge. To be part of this service, send an email from your corporate account to recursos.gratuitos@smartfense.com.

We'll be bringing you a range of articles and insights on the opportunities and challenges of being online during COVID-19 in the coming days and weeks. Keep checking the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) portal and follow our social channels on Facebook (@SaferInternet and @SaferInternetDay) and Twitter (@Insafenetwork and @SaferInternetDay) for the latest updates.

In addition, for localised help and support in responding to some of the online challenges which COVID-19 presents, please do reach out to your national Safer Internet Centre (SIC) – find profile information and contact details on the BIK portal. In addition to a range of articles and resources in national languages, European Safer Internet Centres also provide helpline services allowing children and young people, and parents and carers to access personalised advice and support.

The links to the resources listed here are provided in good faith as part of the response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, but the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) platform (and its related entities) cannot accept any responsibility for the validity of the content contained within these. Please refer to the originator of the respective resources for further information.

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