Today is Safer Internet Day 2017

Safer Internet Day 2017 showcases the power of image in today’s digital youth culture


SID2017 LogoResearch by UK Safer Internet Centre highlights the positive and negative impact of online images and videos on young people

  • The majority of children (84%) aged 8-17 have shared a photo online, with 1 in 6 doing so in the last hour
  • 4 in 5 young people have been inspired by an online image or video to take positive action
  • But more than 1 in 5 have been bullied with images or videos online and 70% have seen images and videos not suitable for their age
  • Findings come as Safer Internet Day calls on communities to ‘Be the Change’ and unite for a better internet
  • To mark Safer Internet Day 2017 young people across the UK are joining Government ministers, celebrities, industry figures, schools and police services to inspire people to ‘Be the Change’ and unite for a better internet today. A new study commissioned by official organisers of the day, the UK Safer Internet Centre, explores the power and influence of images and videos in digital youth culture, highlighting the positives and potential risks, as well as identifying the key skills young people need to navigate today’s online world.

    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. Over 1,000 organisations are supporting the day, including former Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle, the BBC, BT, Sky, O2, Vodafone, Lloyds Banking Group, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Google, NSPCC, Premier League football clubs and the UK Government, as well as police services, charities and schools across the UK, who are all coming together to deliver a range of inspiring activities. They’ll be joining hundreds of individuals supporting the #SID2017 social media campaign to inspire positive action, which is set to reach over 5 million with a mass tweet at 8.30am today.

    Power of Image
    New research launched to mark Safer Internet Day reveals that images and video play a central role in young people’s digital lives and are powerful tools of communication, selfexpression and creativity. The majority (84%) of 8-17-year-olds have shared a photo online, rising from 73% of 8-12-year-olds to 95% of 13-17-year-olds. In the last hour, 1 in 8 young people (12%) surveyed said they had shared a selfie, almost 1 in 3 had used YouTube (31%), 1 in 4 had used Snapchat (25%), and more than 1 in 5 had used Instagram (22%).

    Encouragingly, young people are using the power of image to make a difference: 4 in 5 young people (80%) said that in the last year they have felt inspired by an image or video online to do something positive. Furthermore, two thirds (67%) have posted an image or video on the internet for a variety of positive reasons, including to support friends (40%); to share something interesting with others (31%); and to encourage others to do something positive (17%).

    However, while many of their experiences were positive, many young people are having negative experiences online:

  • Almost 2 in 5 (38%) have received negative comments on a photo they have posted; this can have a real impact on young people’s expression, as 2 in 5 (40%) said that they sometimes don’t post images because of worries about mean comments.
  • More than 1 in 5 (22%) of 8-17s said that someone has posted an image or video to bully them.
  • 70% of 8-17s said they have seen images and videos not suitable for their age in the last year.
  • Almost half (45%) of 13-17-year-olds have seen nude or nearly nude photos of someone they know being shared around their school or local community.

    Magnified pressures
    Our image-focused digital culture can mean young people face pressures, including body image concerns. According to the study, on average young people take 12 selfies before they are happy to post one online and 43% said they worry about how attractive they look when they share photos online. Furthermore, 45% have used a filter in the last year to make themselves look better. In particular, the study identified these trends mostly amongst 13-17 year old girls: almost two-thirds (61%) of them worry about how attractive they look when sharing photos online and early half (47%) of them have felt sad about their appearance after seeing a particular image or video online.

    Risky behaviour
    The study also highlighted the need for young people to better understand privacy controls when sharing images and videos. Over half (56%) of young people aged 8-17 years said they have shared images or videos on a public social media profile, with almost a third (31%) saying that most of the photos they share are on a public profile that can be seen by anyone.

    Whilst just over half (51%) said they always think about what personal information they could be sharing before they post a photo or video online, nearly a third (30%) of 8-17 year olds have shared a photo they wouldn’t want their parents or carers to see. Almost a quarter (23%) said they don’t know how to control who can see what they post on social media sites.

    More worryingly, the majority of young people have shared an image or video with a stranger: 65% of 8-17-year-olds have shared images or videos directly with people they only know online, with more than a quarter (27%) saying they have done so in the last day. Despite this, nearly 2 in 5 (38%) say they worry about losing control of an image they have shared online.

    The research also emphasised the importance of developing young people’s critical thinking skills when using the internet. Although the findings revealed nearly three quarters (70%) of young people surveyed agree that images and videos can be misleading and don’t always tell the full story, 48% said they are more likely to trust something has happened if they see an image or video of it.

    Safer Internet Day 2017 in action
    To explore the power and influence of images in young people’s digital lives the UK Safer Internet Centre has delivered a range of activities including:

  • Schools across the UK are using the Education Packs and SID TV films to empower young people to use images and videos safely and positively.
  • Young people across the UK have been taking part in a youth photo campaign to create engaging photos to explore the power and influence of images in their lives, with images being exhibited at youth events across the UK today and in an online gallery.
  • People across the UK have been joining the #giveasmile social media campaign to use the power of emojis and selfies to help make the internet a more positive place.

    Will Gardner, a Director of the UK Safer Internet Centre and CEO of Childnet, said about the day:

    “It is fair to say that in 2017 the internet is powered by images and videos. This can magnify the risks and pressures that young people face, while also offering fun new opportunities for self-expression and creativity.”

    “Today’s findings remind us that with an ever-changing landscape, it is more important than ever to equip young people with the skills, knowledge, confidence and resilience to communicate using images and videos responsibly and positively.”

    “This Safer Internet Day young people around the UK are uniting to inspire a better internet. We need to harness this enthusiasm and empower them to ‘Be the Change’ and use the power of image to help create a better internet.”

    Minister for Online Safety, Tracey Crouch, said:

    “The internet has provided young people with some amazing opportunities, but one of our top priorities is protecting them from risks they might face online. The UK is a world leader in internet safety, and measures in our Digital Economy Bill will be instrumental in better protecting children from harmful content. But there is still more to do, and Safer Internet Day is a fantastic reminder that we all have a part to play in making the online world a safer place for our children to discover, explore and enjoy."

    Minister for Vulnerable Children and Families, Edward Timpson, said:

    “The internet is a powerful tool that gives children and young people many fantastic opportunities - but protecting them from the risks they might face online or on their phones remains absolutely vital. That's why I'm pleased to be able to support Safer Internet Day again this year, and look forward to hearing how schools and pupils take part.”

    “At the Department for Education, we're continuing to work hard to make sure that young people, parents and teachers, are actively involved in promoting safe online practice, and we've been providing training and resources to support teachers in delivering the new curriculum, which includes e-safety.”

    For more information about the activities taking place to celebrate Safer Internet Day, plus resources and advice for young people, parents, carers and teachers, visit the UK Safer Internet Centre website, www.saferinternet.org.uk.

  • Written by Safeguarding Essentials on February 07, 2017 08:19

    SID2017 - Competition Update

    With just a few days until the 2017 Safer Interned Day, entries for our SID2017 competition are flooding in.

    SID2017 LogoSafer Internet Day 2017 will be celebrated globally on Tuesday 7th February with the slogan ‘Be the change: Unite for a better internet’.

    Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre the celebration sees over 1,000 organisations get involved to help promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.

    Each year hundreds of organisations come together to promote the safe and responsible use of technology. Last year the campaign reached 40% of UK youth.

    E-safety Support - SID2017 Competition

    We have been delighted with the number of entries we have so far received for our competition. Here are just a few examples:

    CHANGE entries
    Cyberbullying Harms All, Never Get Engaged - St Pius, Magherafelt
    Cyberbullying Happens Anytime: New laws Giving hope to Everyone - Chesnut Lodge
    Create Happiness And Never Grief, Ever - Norbury Manor

    UNITE entries
    Use Nice Internet Talk Everywhere - Reid Street Primary
    Unfriendly Notes Induce Terrible Emotions - RGS Guildford
    Unappreciated Nonsense Is Troubling Everyone - St Matthias, Wolverhampton

    Still time to get involved
    You still have time to enter our SID2017 competition. To get involved, all your pupils have to do is come up with a positive e-safety acronym using the words CHANGE or UNITE - inspired by the SID2017 theme, Be the Change: Unite for a better Internet.

    This competition is open until midnight on February 6th 2017. Find out more

    SID2017 Banner

    Written by Safeguarding Essentials on February 03, 2017 12:28

    For children and teenagers, it is increasingly all about mobile

    Monitor Report 2017This year sees the resurgence of the mobile phone among five to 16 year olds, according to the latest 2017 CHILDWISE Monitor Report. Smartphones are now the default device for music, online access, gaming, video content and reading (after printed books), as young people seek endless entertainment - anywhere and everywhere.

    The new data shows the extent to which the mobile phone now dominates children’s media experiences, with ownership increasing steadily – especially among primary aged children – and usage more varied than ever before. For the first time ever, children are now more likely to use their mobile phone to go online than for any other purpose, including texting or calling.

    The 2017 CHILDWISE Monitor is a comprehensive annual report looking at five to 16 year olds media consumption, purchasing and social habits as well as key behaviour. Around 2000 children in schools across the United Kingdom completed in-depth online surveys for the report.

    The report also reveals that tablet ownership has reached saturation point after years of rapid growth. Two thirds of children have their own touchscreen tablet at home.

    Simon Leggett, research director from CHILDWISE says: “Our research suggests that children now expect to be constantly entertained. They want to fill every free moment they have. Tablets were a gateway to apps and the internet for many children – they were the technology of choice and widely endorsed by parents. Children now expect the same level of functionality when they’re out and about, and the mobile phone delivers that” says Simon.

    “Children expect to access their favourite media at all times, whether it is games, music, video content or social media,” adds Simon Leggett. The report suggests that it is unlikely that tablet growth will increase much further, with two in three children now owning one.

    “Tablets are not as portable as mobile phones and they don’t work ‘on the go’ as easily as a mobile phone. This is why we have seen a modest resurgence of the mobile phone, which children can have with them and use at all times to fill any moment of boredom with gaming, viewing YouTube videos, catching up with social media or listening to music.”

    “The mobile phone is increasingly becoming a preferred go-to multimedia gadget for children overall. For primary aged children particularly, exposure to what a tablet can offer has left them wanting more, especially when they are outside the home.”

    “Children are now becoming adept at the positive skills of multi-tasking, prioritising and filtering through the huge amount of content available to them. When they find something that interests them, they will engage fully.”

    Most children say their use of technology helps them learn and develop new interests. However, a significant minority are concerned about their over reliance on them. Around one in four find it difficult to go several hours without checking them, say they have missed out on sleep because they have spent too long on gadgets and would like to spend more time away from them.

    Three in 10 children say they have to check their connected devices every few minutes.

    Most teenagers break rules set for them for internet use and a significant minority of nine to 12 year olds go online longer than they are allowed, or when they shouldn’t.

    Findings of the report also include…

    • Children claim to use the internet for an average of three hours a day. One in eight say they spend more than six hours online per day.
    • Social networking sites are more popular than texting for children to keep in touch with one another outside school.
    • YouTube is the most popular website among children this year, far ahead of second place favourite Snapchat, and is the most popular video on demand service, ahead of second place Netflix - almost all children use YouTube.
    • Children are now just as likely to watch content on their mobile phone as on a TV set.
    • A quarter of nine to 16s turn off or get around safety controls when they go online.

    CHILDWISE is an independent market research agency specialising in children and young people. CHILDWISE has a programme of published independent research and also conducts research for government agencies, charities, broadcasters, publishers and brands www.childwise.co.uk

    The Monitor Report 2017 covers... Tablets and technology; websites and applications; gaming, YouTube; mobile phones; TV viewing; video on demand; music; reading; children’s equipment; money; purchasing; sports & activities; health & wellbeing and social awareness.

    Written by Safeguarding Essentials on January 27, 2017 11:28


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