Tomorrow, the 10th of February, millions of people from over 100 countries around the world will host various events and campaigns in celebration of the 12th annual Safer Internet Day (SID).

SID is an an initiative headed up by the Insafe European network that works closely with parents, teachers and world governments to build a better and safer internet for everyone, but in particular children who can be the most vulnerable when it comes to online abuse.

“Better internet can mean many things to many people, but our main aim is to foster the positive and eliminate the negative online,” SID says.

SID 2015’s theme is “Let’s create a better internet together”. In Africa, plans have been made to celebrate SID in South Africa as well as in Mauritius, Kenya, Uganda and Senegal.

The Gauteng Department of Education, Department of Communications and Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services have partnered with Digital You, Childline SA, Google, Media Monitoring Africa, SaveTNet and UNISA Youth Research Unit to host an event to coincide with the launch of the Film and Publication Board’s Back-2-School campaign tomorrow that will host learners and teachers from 10 Gauteng schools at the Ster Kinekor Head Offices in Sandton.

Activities for the day will include different workshop topics such as film, social media, mobile, mass media and community where attendees will learn about the choices, dangers and risks involved when going online.

They will also get to engage with other SID participants in Kenya, Senegal and Nigeria through a Google Hangout.

“We have the power to create positive content, while influencing society and the organisations that create these remarkable platforms we use,” said SaveTNet’s Rianette Leibowitz.

Parents and teachers can use the SID website to get resources they can use to teach children about online safety at home and in the classroom.

[Sources – SID, SA News Governement Agency, Image – SID]