Safer Internet Day in 2011 will help children and teens learn essential skills about safe social networking. This annual international event is coordinated by Insafe, the European network for internet safety. In 2010 Safer Internet Day was celebrated through over 500 events in 65 countries all over the world.
The theme for 2011 'It's more than a game, it's your life' will be used to promote safer and more responsible use by children and teens when using social networking sites and will highlight the importance of protecting privacy and digital reputation as well as the need for good online etiquette.A recent Telstra survey of parents has revealed Australian parents are equipping kids with latest technology gadgets, but not providing preparation on how to deal with cyber safety / bullying issues / digital etiquette.More than a third of the parents surveyed with children aged 10 to 17 will send a child to school this year with both a laptop computer and a mobile phone.There is an table on the report page comparing state statistics showing some staggering figures e.g. Have a child who will take a mobile to school this year
74% (NSW)
72% (VIC)
75% (QLD)
75% (SA)
74% (WA)
In all states, over one third of parents have not spoken recently to their child about securing their mobile. Just under one third of parents in each state have not spoken to their child about how to respond to a cyber-bully.
Perhaps parents have a false sense of security because in the majority of Australian
schools, based on anecdotal evidence, students are required to keep their mobile phones turned off once they are inside the school gates, and in quite a large number the child is required to hand the phone in at the front desk at the beginning of the day and collect it at the end.
When these are often also children who are dropped off by Mum at school, and collected at the close of the day, one can't help wondering why they are carrying a mobile phone. Is the mobile phone becoming a status symbol?
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