Government praises Safer Internet Day and pledges to work with Safer Internet Centre

The Government has praised Safer Internet Day, and pledged to work with all the organisations that helped make it a success.  

Speaking in the Commons, Digital Minister Matt Warman paid tribute to the event which took place on Tuesday. 

The event, coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre (UK SIC), is celebrated in over a hundred countries and helps promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people. 

UK SIC is a partnership of Childnet, The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), and South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL). 

Speaking in the Commons today (February 13), SNP MP Patricia Gibson said: “This week saw a celebration to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people on Safer Internet Day.  

“Will the Minister join me in congratulating the work of the UK Safer Internet Centre which works with more than 1,000 schools, children, and businesses supporting making the internet a safer place for children and young people, and will he agree that the UK Government must do all it can to support this important work?” 

Mr Warman replied: “I absolutely join you in congratulating all the work that goes on around Safer Internet Day. The Secretary of State attended the main conference on Tuesday.  

“I appeared myself, albeit by video link, so we are absolutely committed to working with all of the charities and organisations that have made Safer Internet Day such a success." 

The UK Safer Internet Centre is a partnership of three leading charities – Childnet, Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) - with a shared mission to make the internet a better place for children and young people.  

The partnership was appointed by the European Commission as the Safer Internet Centre for the UK in January 2011 and is one of the 31 Safer Internet Centres of the Insafe network. 

Susie Hargreaves, CEO of the IWF and a Director of the UK Safer Internet Centre, said: “It is fantastic to hear the Government has committed to working with us to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online.  

“We look forward to working with them, and the new regulator, to keep children safe and make the internet a better place for everyone.” 

Will Gardner OBE, a director of the UK Safer Internet Centre, said: “As organisers of Safer Internet Day here in the UK it was absolutely incredible to see the range and variety of activities that took place right across the country. 

“The theme for this year’s Safer Internet Day in the UK was ‘free to be: exploring identity online’. The campaign saw so many come together to help inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively.  

“Creating a respectful and positive internet for children and young people is essential and we hope that the Government can ensure the growing momentum of Safer Internet Day continues in 2021 and beyond.  

“We need to work together to continue the extraordinary positive impact that Safer Internet Day has for children online and those that support them right across the country.”