Joint
announcement from the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner,
Sure and the Department for Education, Sport &
Culture
Think B4 U Post
Whether you are a child or an adult you should
"think before you post" anything online: that's the message for
Safer Internet Day 2010, which will be celebrated throughout Europe
on Tuesday 9th February.
Safer Internet Day has taken place annually at
the start of February since 2004 and is organised by Insafe
(
http://www.saferinternet.org/)
to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and
mobile 'phones, especially amongst children and young people across
the world.
Young people do not always realise that the
personal information they post remains online and can be accessed
by anyone: many employers now check their job applicants online and
embarrassing pictures that were posted in haste may make the
difference between success and failure in the search for a job
after school. Personal information posted on social networking
sites can also be used by unscrupulous individuals, whether that is
grooming of children or identity theft of adults.
Commenting on the importance of safeguarding
personal data online, Data Protection Commissioner Emma Martins
said:
"Many of those who use the Internet
do not fully appreciate the fact that it is a very public space.
When personal information is divulged on social networking and
other similar sites, a permanent digital record is created that can
stay with that person for life. We have a responsibility to ensure
that the most vulnerable of our society, especially children, are
both informed of the risks and protected from the very real and
long-term consequences of the disclosure of their personal
information."
To help celebrate Safer Internet Day 2010
schoolchildren in Jersey's primary schools are being invited to
design their own Think B4 U Post posters. The competition, which
was launched on Saturday February 6th in a special JEP
Simon Says column and is supported by mobile and broadband supplier
Sure, offers pupils the chance to win a year's family membership of
Durrell or one of 40 runners-up prizes.
Explaining Sure's support for the competition
Graham Hughes, Chief Executive for Sure in Jersey, said:
"We are very conscious that Internet
access, through computer or mobile phone, is creating an exciting
new world of opportunities for young people. However, there are
also dangers online and so it is important that everyone is well
informed about e-safety. We are delighted to support the States of
Jersey in broadcasting that message."
In addition, both children and adults are being
invited to take part in a survey to find out about online habits in
Jersey. The survey will be launched at the end of February and will
be available on the Virtual Learning Environment that is used in
schools and on a public facing website that parents will be able to
access. The results of the survey are expected to be published
shortly after Easter.
Commenting on the need for a locally-based
survey, DfESC E-Safety Officer Jon Tarrant said:
"A similar survey* that was released for
Safer Internet Day last year found that UK parents are among the
best at safeguarding their children when they go online and we
would love to find that parents in Jersey are even more diligent.
You can never take e-safety for granted and by running the survey
we hope to remind people about some of the most important issues
that need to be faced."