Safer Internet Day (SID) is celebrated worldwide on February 7 under the theme “Together for A Better Internet”. This year marked the 20th edition of the SID campaign, a call to action for stakeholders to join together and play their part in creating a better Internet for everyone, especially children and adolescents.
The Day sees hundreds of organizations unite to raise awareness of online safety issues and get involved to help promote the safe, responsible, and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.
The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) has been attaching great importance to Internet safety. From online campaigns to events and activities, MCIT and its affiliates work to raise awareness and cooperate with local and international partners to enable children and adolescents to use the Internet safely and protect their privacy.
In early February, MCIT participated in a session on Internet dangers for children. The session was organized by the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood (NCCM) of the Ministry of Health and Population, and it was attended by representatives of national agencies and institutions and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
International experiences were showcased during the session, in addition to cooperation plans between MCIT and NCCM to protect children online. The session also discussed MCIT initiatives for promoting digital literacy and digital and financial inclusion among citizens, especially children and youth, to achieve a safe digital integration.
Within the framework of SID, MCIT and Misr Public Library co-organized a training activity in digital citizenship and online safety in Minya Governorate. The activity was part of the Digital Citizenship Initiative. The training aimed at raising awareness of the fundamentals of digital citizenship. Real-life applications of digital citizenship skills were presented.
The Ministry also organized a training week for school teachers and students in Mansoura City, continuing its activities within the framework of Digital Citizenship Initiative, marking Safer Internet Day. The participating teachers were introduced to the basic skills of digital citizenship and Internet safety. They then educated the students on those skills.
Later in February, MCIT and Misr Public Library co-organized a training event in digital citizenship and online safety in Marsa Matrouh. The training targeted adolescents and young people, raising their awareness of the fundamentals of digital citizenship. The program covered a number of topics, including protection against digital threats, online safety, and the safe and positive use of Internet.
It is worth mentioning that MCIT launched the Digital Citizenship initiative to raise citizens’ awareness of the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living, learning, and working in an interconnected digital world in safe, legal, and ethical ways. Objectives of the initiative include providing knowledge and reliable content on digital citizenship concepts, skills, and inspirational models, and helping people apply digital citizenship skills through specialized training and online counseling services.
The initiative also aims to increase local communities’ awareness of Internet dangers, introduce cybersecurity tools and protection and support channels, and establish national and international partnerships to exchange knowledge and expertise.
