10 February marks Safer Internet Day. In its 6th edition, the day is celebrated jointly by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and European Commission (EC) and focuses, this year, on protecting children online.
''Child online safety must be on the global agenda'', said ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré, stressing that ''we must ensure that everyone is aware of the dangers for children online''. He praised ongoing initiatives such as the European ''Safer Internet'' programme. In addition, Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, warned of the risk of underestimating the dangers of online services such as social networking and mobile Internet, and stressed that ''the safety of children who use [the internet] is a concern for everyone''.
Safer Internet Day 2009 is marked in 50 countries with over 500 events. The ITU and the EC expect to work together on future events, such as World Telecommunications and Information Society Day, which will next be held on 17 May 2009 and will be dedicated to ''Protecting Children in Cyberspace''.
Consult:
- ITU and European Commission mark Safer Internet Day http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2009/01.html
