A new study on online behaviour and the challenges faced by Austrian children and youth on social networks shows a competent use and a conscious online presence.

Every year, the Austrian Safer Internet Centre collects data on social media use of Austrian children and youth. Which social networks do young people in Austria use? Which platforms are trending, and which ones have become less popular? The results are published in the Youth Internet Monitor.

Online services and technology offer many opportunities for children and young people to communicate, find information, be entertained and develop their digital skills. However, many online services used by young people were never designed with them as the core audience. The March 2021 edition of the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) bulletin explores the topic of age-appropriate design with youth.

On 24 February 2021, Twitter hosted an event for young people. Called the Twitter Youth Summit, the aim of the event was for Twitter to inform young people about how they can be empowered to have their voice heard on social media. Twitter also took the opportunity to hear from youth about problems they encounter online in three distinct areas, namely mental health, cyberbullying and equality, and environment and sustainability. Here, Lorcan Tuohy, member of the Webwise youth panel (part of the Irish Safer Internet Centre) and BIK Youth Ambassador, looks back on the event.

Last year, a group of six Better Internet for Kids (BIK) Youth Ambassadors met in Brussels to launch the Youth Pledge for a Better Internet on the occasion of Safer Internet Day (SID) 2020. Sina and Matej were among them and, in this article, they reflect on what has been accomplished in the last year.

SaferNet Brasil has been working in different ways to strengthen youth engagement since 2012. Considering the intensity of young people’s online presence and their need for self-expression, explore content and contacts, enable civic participation and learn, the mobile connection requires more efforts on self-protection and critical thinking education to allow a responsible autonomy in this new digital connected world.

Young people who attend school outside of the UK can enter the Childnet Film Competition’s first ever international category! Now in its 12th year, the Childnet Film Competition challenges young filmmakers to create a short film in response to a given theme around online safety. The main criteria are that all entries must contain a positive message and be able to educate other young people. 

On Safer Internet Day (SID) 2021 – which we celebrated on Tuesday, 9 February 2021 – the Youth Pledge for a Better Internet celebrated its first year of existence. Below, we look back on the achievements of this youth-led initiative in partnership with industry representatives from the Alliance to better protect minors online aimed at making online platforms’ terms and conditions more age appropriate.

Lili Leißer, Better Internet for Kids (BIK) Youth Ambassador and Youth Coordinator at the Austrian Safer Internet Centre, took part in the online event organised by the European Commission on Safer Internet Day, on Tuesday, 9 February 2021. In this article, she reflects on the progress accomplished in the framework of the Youth Pledge.

Just like with most events this year, Safer Internet Forum (SIF) 2020 took place online, but this did not stop the Austrian Safer Internet Centre (SIC) from inviting young people to become part of the safer internet community. The difference was that instead of 20 young people from all over Europe being usually invited to Brussels, this time almost 50 young people could participate in several events.