Youth&Internet...

From a Safer Internet to a Better Internet for Kids

Young people and children are today amongst the largest user groups of online and mobile technologies in Europe. To empower and protect them, it is therefore necessary to develop a proper strategy to encapsulate their needs.

The first Safer Internet Programme was launched in 1999 in order to support projects and events, as well as to promote industry self-regulation and international co-operation.

The current programme provides the main financial source for the implementation of a "European Strategy to Make the Internet a Better Place for Children". Over the years, the activities covered awareness raising, fighting illegal content, filtering and content labelling, involving the civil society in child online safety issues and creating a solid database of information related to the use of new technologies by young people.

The Safer Internet Programme finances projects creating a safer online environment for children and young people. It also supports Safer Internet Day and Safer Internet Forum.

An important part of the programme are the Safer Internet Centres, which are present in 30 European countries. They give advice and information to children, parents and teachers. The Centres also organise youth panels that are consulted on online safety issues and development of information material. In addition Centres hosting hotline services receive reports on online illegal content .

https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/safer-internet-better-internet-kids