You probably don’t know this, but it’s Safer Internet Day today (February 9th)!
Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people and inspire a national conversation.
Starting as an initiative of the European Union SafeBorders project in 2004 and taken up by the Insafe network co-funded by the EU, Safer Internet Day has grown beyond its traditional geographic zone and is now celebrated in around 150 countries worldwide, including Malaysia, of course.
Every year, SID calls for action from the many players involved in providing a safer and better digital environment for the young users: decision makers at the international level, industry, civil society, educators, parents and young people themselves.
The Internet is a powerful tool with enormous opportunities for learning, enhancing skills and acquiring new abilities and knowledge, as highlighted especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, with opportunities come risks and the goal of SID is not only to raise awareness but also to help by concrete actions to provide protection and empowerment of children and young people online.
This year’s theme is "Together for a better internet", and Malaysia’s objective aims to nurture more self-regulated netizens with cyber ethics as well as encouraging organisations to become educators and implementers towards a safer cyber ecosystem.
The first SID celebration was first held in 2010 initiated by CyberSecurity Malaysia, under the CyberSAFE programs.
So take some time today to check on your online security, and check out our article on how to keep your data safe!
by Kyle Roshen Jacob
