Tuesday marks the 18th edition of Safer Internet Day 2021 with actions taking place across the globe.
With a theme once again of "Together for a better internet," this day calls upon all stakeholders to join together to make the internet a safer and better place for all, and especially for children and young people, reads a message posted on saferinternetday.org.
Safer Internet Day is observed every year on the second day of the second week of February with an aim to provide safer and better internet, where every user gets to use the internet responsibly and without getting their data leaked.
The day is being celebrated in at least 150 countries across the world today.
From cyberbullying to social networking to digital identity, each year Safer Internet Day aims to raise awareness of emerging online issues and current concerns.
Safer Internet Day helps us to remind that Internet security is something that demands constant vigilance. It also reminds us that a lot of bad things can happen on the Internet if we don’t take appropriate precautions.
Tips to stay safe online:
Pick strong passwords
Don't browse on public Wi-Fi
Don’t fall for email scams
Guard your personal information
Report scammers
Use a VPN
How is Safer Internet Day celebrated?
SID was first initiated in 2004 and is as part of the EU’s “Better Internet for Kids” policy, which aims to increase access to high-quality content for children and young people, increase awareness and empowerment, create a safe environment for children online, and fight against child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation.
Over the years, Safer Internet Day has become a landmark event in the online safety calendar. Starting as an initiative of the EU SafeBorders project in 2004 and taken up by the Insafe network as one of its earliest actions in 2005, Safer Internet Day has grown beyond its traditional geographic zone and is now celebrated in approximately 170 countries worldwide.
Each year, the SID initiative aims to increase awareness about emerging online issues, such as cyberbullying and chooses a topic reflecting current concerns.
