Internet is like a giant playground with multiple elements in it. And this playground named ‘Internet’ needs to have safe boundaries to restrict the unwanted reach of the malicious elements. In continuum, the National Safer Internet Day beseeches for safe as well as better internet, where education on how to use technology wisely, responsibly, critically, respectfully, and creatively is made available to everyone.

The celebration of the 18th edition of Safer Internet Day will take place in full action on Tuesday, February 9, 2021, worldwide. With the theme of “Together for a better internet,” the day calls all stakeholders to join hands to make the Internet a reliable technology to live with, especially for children and young people.

Landing back to the history

The EU-funded SafeBorders project introduced the first-ever National Safer Internet Day, and Insafe, the Safer Internet Centres network, took over the charge. Now, Safer Internet Day has no limitations as it has widely spread across more than 170 countries in different continents and is celebrated by millions of people globally.

In 2009, the Safer Internet Day committees were introduced to promote increased awareness, hoping to bolster safety in the world of the Internet. The day received official recognition of day in the United States of America in 2012 when the US Department of Homeland Security and the European Commission pronounced it was time to help the Internet remain safe for all, especially for youth.

In 2013, in America, things started rolling when ConnectSafely.org was appointed to coordinate the American theater efforts, and thereafter it has been driving the initiative forward a little more every year.

In 2015, it promoted the theme, “Actions and amp; Activism Toward a Better Net and amp; World,” which highlighted concerns like bullying. It also started collaborating with the National Parent Teacher Association to use technology to help effect social change.

It was truly the proper use of the tool since people across the world use the internet incessantly to connect and communicate instantly. Internet is one such powerful invention that has brought the world closer.

Activities conducted on Safer Internet Day

1. Practicing good Internet habits at individual level

Everyone is a skilled user when it comes to the Internet, but that doesn’t imply that one knows everything. There is ample material available on the Internet providing information on Safer Internet Day.

All the resources are informative and help understand different obstacles present-day Internet users jumble upon every time they open a new browser. Thus, practicing good internet habits by not exploiting some typical Internet protocols can help individuals stay safe.

2. Participate in a safer internet day conference

A non-profit ConnectSafely.org organization holds a large conference every year, promoting internet awareness for all age groups. In the last few years, representatives from Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and more conducted panel discussions and speaking events on this day. The day-long events aim to make the Internet a better place for a diverse group of users.

3. Spread awareness on internet habits

Missed attending the conference? Don’t freak out! There are numerous other ways to make the Internet a constructive medium for people and encourage them to use the world wide web responsibly.

Spreading awareness in the older and younger generations to help clear confusions, eradicating fears, and building hopes for the future while establishing a proper Internet etiquette goal are a must.

What value Safer Internet Day holds!

1. A day to learn more about the Internet 

‘N’ number of new websites are created each day. Each day, in every second, new content is generated and published over the Internet. It is important to keep oneself upgraded about the emerging technologies in this fast-moving world. Creating alerts and remaining aware of the latest happenings should be a must for all sizes of audiences to remain safe on the Internet.

2. A global celebration

Looked upon as a global celebration in almost 130 countries, Safer Internet Day helps the world come more closer via communicating virtually. From the US to the UK, from Poland to Panama, all have a unique way to mark the importance of the day.

3. A day all working bodies come together

Internet today is the whole and sole of every company. Every global brand takes several measures to make the world wide web the safest place to share and store data. All the major companies, including Facebook, Google, and Twitter, implement different practices to provide their users with a better and safer Internet.

Final words

Undoubtedly, the Internet has been the most amazing invention that has changed the world drastically. But not all of these are positive. It helps people connect faster, find things easier, and transfer information at the speed of light.

Portraying these very boons of communication as the bane of safety will not be wrong. How easily personal information may get transferred over the Internet due to the slightest mistake is evident to everyone. The Safer Internet Day reminds every user of the importance of protecting themselves against the illicit dangers of leaked data and building a safer environment for everyone.

Safer Internet Day 2021 can be celebrated at an individual level by extending one’s online safety portfolio. Gaining knowledge on what can be done in the cases of cyberbullying and educating oneself on how to connect and communicate with people around the world virtually is an apt way of going about it.

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