Larry Magid: Observing Safer Internet Day

In 2003, the European Union launched the first Safer Internet Day on the second Tuesday of February, and, over the years, it has grown to more than 100 countries across the globe. In 2013, ConnectSafely, where I serve as CEO, became the official U.S. coordinator, and we’ve been running annual Safer Internet Day events ever since. For many years, we had large in-person events at venues such as the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Universal Studios Hollywood and the Computer History Museum in Mountain View. This year, we’re holding a smaller in-person event in Sacramento along with a national webinar and numerous events around the country run by local educators and community leaders.

The local events are on track to reach more than 70,000 young people this year. The Sacramento event, hosted by ConnectSafely in collaboration with National PTA and Children Now, will bring together about 100 young people, elected officials, tech executives and other stakeholders with a focus on youth empowerment.

Everyone is welcome to view the webinar at ConnectSafely.org starting on Feb. 10, but you don’t have to join one of our events to participate in Safer Internet Day. We’re encouraging everyone to have conversations about online safety that day at home, at work and at school.

Conversation starters

To help families start meaningful conversations about online life, ConnectSafely offers a wide range of free resources, including short, easy-to-read Quick Guides covering popular platforms and key digital issues. Guides are available for apps and services such as TikTok, Instagram, Roblox and Snapchat, along with topic-based guides on cyberbullying, hate speech, teen sexting, misinformation and media literacy, ransomware, passwords, cybersecurity, safe online shopping, online safety for seniors and more.

Families can also watch videos together about popular apps and services including Roblox, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Discord. In addition, ConnectSafely provides guidance on parental controls for devices and services such as Alexa, Amazon Kids products, and Meta’s virtual reality headsets. You can find these resources at ConnectSafely.org/family.

If you have kids or other family members at home, start a casual conversation during dinner about how everyone uses the internet. Ask your kids about their favorite apps and what steps they take to protect their safety, privacy, and security. Discuss the basics: strong passwords, being mindful of what they post, and how to interact safely with both people they know and strangers online. Keep it conversational rather than turning it into a lecture or interrogation. Try questions like “Which app makes you laugh the most?” or “Have you ever seen someone get shut down in a group chat?” When we shift from being the “tech police” to becoming “tech partners,” kids are far more likely to come to us when something actually goes wrong. And you might also want to talk about generative AI. Who in the family is using it? How does it make you all feel and are there any concerns from children or adults about its impact going forward. If you need help, check out the Parent and Teen Guide to Generative AI at ConnectSafely.org/GAI.

It doesn’t have to be a long conversation, just enough time to remind everyone about what they can do to make their online experiences a bit safer. Don’t forget to talk about ways to use tech in ways that make you feel good, not sad or anxious. While I sometimes think tech gets too much blame for mental health problems, I do agree that it can play a role, especially if you spend too much time online or consume or engage with distressing content.

Adults, too: Scams, civility, and digital responsibility

Although Safer Internet Day focuses mostly on youth, it’s also a time for adults to think about how we use the internet. I’ve heard from many kids about their parents spending too much time on their devices. And anyone who spends time on social media has probably seen fellow adults post things that are divisive, mean or inaccurate. It’s fine to disagree online but not to be disagreeable. Conversations that would likely be polite in person can easily get out of hand online. I had hoped that social media would bring people together, not drive us further apart, and that’s still possible, as long as we treat each other with respect.

Safer Internet Day is also a time when everyone, children and adults, can talk about how to avoid or recover from scams. Many of us are bombarded with emails or text messages designed to lure us to a website or engage in a conversation that’s almost certainly designed to separate us from our money or private information. It may appear to be from a friend or colleague whose email or social media account may have been hacked or impersonated by a scam artist, or it may seem to come from a well-meaning stranger who is actually a criminal, possibly in another country. Young boys are especially vulnerable to sextortion scams where what appear to be attractive young women or girls offer to exchange intimate or sexually explicit images or videos and then threaten to distribute the victim’s image or video unless they receive a payment of some kind.

Local events near and far

As mentioned earlier, ConnectSafely has provided funding and support for more than twenty local projects across the country to promote online safety and digital well-being. In the Bay Area, students from the Silicon Valley Urban Debate League will participate in a competitive debate series tackling complex topics like digital ethics, privacy rights, and online safety. And here are just a few of the events in other locations:

• In Sayreville, New Jersey, second- and third-graders will lead a school assembly featuring original skits about responsible technology use, supported by ConnectSafely Quick Guides and classroom follow-ups.
• In North Carolina, Brunswick County Schools will create digital literacy kits built around picture books to spark conversations about online safety and media literacy at every grade level. The kits will incorporate ConnectSafely guides and family engagement materials
• Teachers in Shelby County Schools in Columbiana, Alabama, will use ConnectSafely lesson plans and videos during advisory periods, while the district shares parent tips on social media. The initiative will also extend to family meetings and community outreach events.
• Albuquerque Public Schools is hosting a district-wide “Digital Citizenship Week” featuring student-produced public service announcements (PSAs) about cyberbullying.
• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Dallas is launching a “Tech-Safe Afterschool” initiative where older teens mentor younger members on privacy settings and digital footprint management.
• Garden State Esports in Toms River, New Jersey, will host a hybrid gaming event focused on respectful online behavior. The event will include a Fortnite tournament and a student media challenge that highlights positive digital citizenship.

Whether you’re a parent, educator, or just someone who spends time online, Safer Internet Day is a reminder that digital safety isn’t something we achieve once and forget about. It’s an ongoing conversation. So, this February 10th, take a few minutes to talk with the people in your life about staying safe online.

Larry Magid is a tech journalist and internet safety activist. Contact him at larry@larrymagid.com.