Safer Internet Day ’22 – All Fun & Games?

Safer Internet Day 2022 is on Tuesday 8th February and will be celebrated with the theme ‘All fun and games? Exploring respect and relationships online’.

WightFibre support Safer Internet Day coordinated by UK Safer Internet Centre every year. This is because we recognise just how important it is for our young people to feel safe and supported throughout their online journey.

This year’s focus is on gaming and promoting healthy online relationships, which is fundamental to a healthy social and school life. WightFibre wants its customers to feel positive, confident and able when discussing all the complexities that come with parenting in a 2022 online world. For that reason we have compiled resources from Safer Internet Day for you to browse at you leisure.

Quick view top tips for various age ranges:

Videos which can serve as real conversation starters with your young people:

“Speaking with young people is key to exploring their experiences on platforms where they can play games, interact with their peers and others, and take part in ‘live’ experiences such as video streaming. These platforms play such an important and positive role, providing young people with the means to interact with friends and as a great pastime, particularly during lockdowns. 

However, there are some emerging safety issues in these spaces as well as issues young people have been navigating for some time; particularly the lack of respect individuals display towards each other, groups ‘ganging up’ against other groups, and the sense that it is easy to ‘get away’ with negative behaviour such as meanness, bullying and swearing. They speak about hate directed at particular groups, particularly LGBT+ users, and misogyny on gaming platforms. They tell us the apparent lack of consequences for negative behaviour has an impact on their safety and wellbeing.”

– UK Safer Internet Centre

Being online with a group of friends from school or perhaps even strangers is a scary and very real world, which needs considered and age appropriate moderation. From Tik Tok and Instagram to Roblox and Animal Crossing, the platforms and games young people use are online environments for connection, community and collaboration. This is why it is so important for adults around young people to recognise what they may need to know and discuss with them to keep them happy and safe.