Singapore will join over 100 countries around the world to commemorate Safer Internet Day (SID) today! The Safer Internet Day (SID) is a public awareness initiative started in 2004 by the Insafe Network, a network of Awareness Centres funded under the Safer Internet Programme of the European Commission. The SID takes place on the second Tuesday of February every year and seeks to promote safe and responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially amongst children and young people. In line with the global SID theme of “Let’s Create a Better Internet Together”, the Media Literacy Council (MLC)’s campaign this year focuses on “recognising good”.
The MLC trawled social media to look for 50 individuals and groups who, in their own way, are making a better internet. It looked for people who exhibited the values of respect, responsibility, empathy, and integrity in their online interactions – be it posting a kind word or a constructive comment. The campaign also looked for people who used the internet positively and responsibly – be it starting a social cause on Facebook or making encouraging videos, and reaching out to try and make a difference.
These are all ordinary folks but passionate about how they can make the online and offline worlds a better place. Their stories can be found at www.betterinternet.sg which will showcase 24 individuals and groups. The rest of the 50 will be updated over the next few weeks.
Through recognising good, the MLC hopes to inspire and bring across the message that everyone can help to create a better internet. Chairman of the MLC, Professor Tan Cheng Han says: “The internet is all about sharing and empowerment. And for everyone to benefit from the internet, it needs to be a safe and enriching space where constructive dialogue can take place, and where people can disagree without being disagreeable; this will encourage rather than stifle debate. The internet is also where people with good ideas and aspirations can come together to build a better world. The internet is what we make of it – let’s harness it to create a better world, offline and online.”
iZ HERO Award Ceremony
In conjunction with Safer Internet Day, the MLC will be launching the 2015 iZ HERO Challenge. The Challenge has gone global this year, with the introduction of the iZHERO.net, a play & learn virtual world that provides young children between the ages of 6 – 13 years old with a fun learning space to become independent and responsible digital media users.
Along with the launch of the 2015 iZ HERO Challenge at the Singapore Science Centre, there will be an iZ HERO Teachers’ Seminar for primary school teachers that will introduce the latest trends in children’s digital usage and discuss ways to get students involved in the 2015 Challenge.
In the campaign spirit of recognising good, the MLC will also be recognizing ten young individuals who are demonstrating HERO values online. These young students went through gruelling activities in the iZ HERO Challenge 2014 to show that they know how to stay safe, be smart and be kind and respectful online. 10 primary schools have also been selected as the Top 10 iZ Schools.
The iZ HERO Challenge is developed and run jointly by Nanyang Technological University and non-profit organization, infollutionZERO, with support from SingTel, Science Centre, Touch Cyber Wellness, the MLC and the Inter-Ministry Cyber Wellness Steering Committee. This award winning educational programme has successfully reached out to more than 25,000 students in over 60 local primary schools in Singapore since its launch by the MLC in 2014.
In line with SID 2015, the Inter-Ministry Cyber-Wellness Steering Committee (ICSC) has also extended its Call for Proposals that encourage the positive use of the Internet and mobile technologies among young people. These proposals could be in the areas of protection against cybercrime, and balancing online and offline activities and information literacy, among others. The new closing date for submissions is 18 Feb 2015.
Play Your Part & Share!
Remember, a #BetterInternet is our choice. And it starts with you.
Check out the #BetterInternet Video and share with your friends today!
Also remember to Like MLC’s Facebook Fan Page, chat on Twitter, check out their other videos on YouTube and download banners to support the campaign here.
