Since 2013, my nonprofit, ConnectSafely, has been the official U.S. coordinator for Safer Web Day, following an settlement between the European Fee and the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety to formally embody the U.S. in what’s now a worldwide occasion celebrated in additional than 100 nations.
This is a vital time to give attention to web security. Due to possible reductions in protecting measures from tech corporations and the federal authorities, it’s extra necessary than ever to advertise security, privateness and safety to guard ourselves and our family members. Though the advantages are many, there are additionally dangers, together with incessant scams, affect on private wellness, misinformation and malware.
Occasions and packages
There’s a stay Safer Web Day occasion in Sacramento this coming Tuesday, Feb. 11, together with a digital webinar co-sponsored by the Nationwide PTA and greater than 30 native ConnectSafely supported Safer Web Day packages in faculties and communities throughout the nation. Many different organizations and companies are additionally internet hosting Safer Web Day packages within the U.S. and different nations.
Our 2025 theme is “Empowering Youth as Stakeholders” to offer younger folks a seat on the desk the place necessary choices are made. Along with mother and father and educators who make choices for younger folks, there are many grownup policymakers drafting federal and state laws and implementing guidelines that affect youth. However in lots of circumstances, younger folks have little or nothing to say about insurance policies that affect their lives. We need to be sure they’re seen and heard.
Don’t assume that together with youth means ignoring dangers. A current survey from the Household On-line Security Institute discovered that teenagers are close to equally involved about on-line dangers as are their mother and father, and that “Teens feel a strong sense of personal responsibility for managing their digital well-being.” It might shock you that some teenagers I’ve spoken with need stricter guidelines and parental supervision.
Everybody can take part in Safer Web Day. You may attend the dad or mum webinar at safer.connectsafely.org/family-program. Watch the stream of the stay occasion and have your personal “event” at dwelling, at work or wherever you join with different folks by merely having a dialog about what we are able to all do to make the web higher and safer for everybody, together with youngsters, teenagers, seniors, marginalized communities and everybody else. There are various assets at ConnectSafely.org and on the particular Safer Web Day website: Safer.ConnectSafely.org. These embody guides and concise Fast-Guides to fashionable apps corresponding to TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Roblox, together with data on such matters as cyberbullying, sextortion, hate speech, misinformation and media literacy, cybersecurity and extra. There are additionally supplies for seniors, on-line daters and oldsters of very younger youngsters. You’ll additionally discover podcasts, movies and different assets, together with the “Wellness Wednesday Tips.”
Safer Web Day is an effective time for a household dialog over dinner or maybe a chat with colleagues at work relating to safety and privateness. Participating youngsters and youths is particularly necessary, however make it a pleasant and casual dialog, not a lecture or inquisition. Begin by asking your youngsters and youths concerning the apps they use and why they like them. After you speak about the good things, possibly ask how they be sure they’re protected and safe and that their privateness is protected. Flip the tables by asking them for recommendation on how the adults within the household can defend themselves. It’s empowering for teenagers to be the “teachers,” and moreover, you would possibly be taught a factor or two.
Though no topics are off-limits, ConnectSafely’s household and college assets for Safer Web Day give attention to six core areas: Generative AI., Civility, Selecting on Friends (aka Cyberbullying), Wellness and Self Respect, Scams, Predators and Creeps and Media Literacy and Essential Considering. You will discover these by clicking Household Program or Scholar Program on the navbar at Safer.ConnectSafely.org.
The Sacramento occasion will likely be streamed stay and archived at ConnectSafely.org/stream25. Tony Thurmond, California State superintendent of public instruction, is the keynote speaker. A number of state legislators will likely be current together with tech executives and college students from excessive faculties across the state. There will likely be a multi-stakeholder panel: How Tech Corporations Design with Youth in Thoughts, that includes executives from TikTok, YouTube and Instagram together with a panel on Selling Resilience and Effectively-Being in a Linked World with audio system from Snapchat, Roblox and Thriving in Video games Group and an adolescent psychologist. Each panels will even have pupil representatives, and there will likely be roundtable discussions the place college students, legislators and different grownup stakeholders can workshop concepts on coverage points and security proposals.
Along with ConnectSafely, there are different organizations with wonderful on-line security supplies, together with the Household On-line Security Institute, Widespread Sense Media and Nationwide Middle for Lacking & Exploited Youngsters. There are additionally quite a lot of wonderful authorities assets, together with the Division of Homeland Safety’s Know2Protect undertaking and assets from the FBI, Federal Commerce Fee, FCC and different businesses.
With regards to staying protected on-line, “it takes a village” is an understatement. With regards to on-line security, it takes all stakeholders — authorities, companies, communities, mother and father and everybody who goes on-line, together with youngsters and youths.
Larry Magid is a tech journalist and web security activist. Contact him at larry@larrymagid.com.
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