Get into Safer Internet Day

Abstract

Safer Internet Day is an annual event that brings together diverse stakeholders from around the globe to empower young internet users, raise awareness and support skills-building to ensure their safety online. This is a unique opportunity to highlight and build on the crucial work libraries are doing to support digital literacy, safety and wellbeing of children and youth online.

First launched in Europe in 2004, SID has long since become a much more global initiative, with engaged stakeholders celebrating and organising dedicated events in Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas.

For countless libraries around the world, digital skills learning and support – including questions around the fundamentals of online privacy and wellbeing – are a key part of their offering. The need and demand for such library initiatives is especially urgent at the moment, with the “leap to digital” so many countries saw during the pandemic.

Safer Internet Day offers libraries a valuable platform to highlight their work, build new partnership, catch up on new discussions around internet safety of young users – and expand their offering. The new IFLA Get Into Safer Internet Day Guide offers a short introduction to this campaign.