Safer Internet Day (SID) is held yearly every February and was initiated by the EU-funded SafeBorders project and taken on by Insafe. Insafe is a European network developed by 30 national Safer Internet Cafes in the European Union member states, Iceland, Norway, and Russia. Their mission is to empower children and young people to use the internet safely and effectively. The theme for this year’s SID is “Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online.”
Safer Internet Day in the Philippines
Presidential Proclamation No. 417 declares every second Tuesday of February of every year as “Safer Internet Day for Children Philippines.” Last year, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, along with Internet Service Providers, held a month-long celebration that started on February 8 in celebration of Safer Internet Day. The theme was “Click, Respect, Connect – CRC Next Level: Ligtas na Ugnayan (Safe Interaction) Online.” Their goal was to fight and address the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
How to Keep You and Your Family Internet Safe
Practice Safe Browsing
Don’t click on suspicious links sent to you. Recently, we have had website links sent on Messenger, and when opened, it sends out more suspicious links to your friend list, and some even say they get hacked. Clicking suspicious links may give hackers access to your data.
Create Strong Passwords
Always choose a strong password that will be difficult for hackers to crack. Do not use birthdays, anniversaries, or cell phone numbers. We often forget that there are posts that trick you into disclosing information that could help hackers figure out your passwords. Create a combination of numbers, symbols, and letters as your password.
Regularly Update your Anti-Virus
Keep your antivirus software and computer up-to-date. This can help strengthen the security of your devices.
Think Before You Click.
Your posts will forever be online. Anyone can easily create copies or screenshots of your posts before you delete them. There is no way to take back what you have posted, even after trying to get rid of it.
Update your Web Browser
Similar to having your antivirus software updated, keep your browser up-to-date too. Updating your browser can help you get protected from any malicious software or website, viruses, and identity theft.
Be wary of your downloads.
Some things we download may be unsafe, as they can contain malware or viruses that may steal information. Do not download apps and files from websites that you do not trust.
Remember and teach your family members some rules we listed down. The Internet has no borders, and anyone can be a victim of malicious people, and SID promotes this celebration to ensure everyone has a safe experience in the digital world. Let us all make our internet browsing secure and free from harm!
