We're Supporting Safer Internet Day
Can you help share the latest tips, advice and resources to help children and young people have a safe and positive time online?
Celebrated globally in February each year Safer Internet Day promotes the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people, aiming to inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and creatively.
The day offers the opportunity to highlight positive uses of technology and to explore the role we can all play in helping to create a better and safer online community.
Safer Internet Day 2024 is on 6th February and Hertfordshire FA is right behind the goal to raise awareness of a safer and better internet for all, especially children and young people.
We’re promoting three key messages within football:
- Children/Young People: Be kind, respectful and protect your online presence/activity
- Parents/Carers: Support your children to use technology responsibly and respectfully, whether via open dialogue, educating or explaining your own use of the internet as a role model
- Everyone: Be kind and respectful to others, respond to the negative by reporting inappropriate or illegal content and behaviour online.
We are asking parents/carers to:
- Encourage conversations about online safety with your children
- Review/discuss your children’s privacy settings
- Check that your children know how to report concerns they may have
- Ensure you know your club’s social media protocols
- Check out the SID parents and carers resources – they cover a wide range of topics and are age-related so ideal to support conversations with your children
Clubs and leagues are encouraged to support SID 2024 by:
- Communicating your support for SID 2024 on your website/social media channels
- Re-sharing your social media protocols with all parents/carers
- Ensuring your reporting process for online concerns is clear and visible
- Pledging your support for SID 2024 on the SID website
Football Specific Guidance for Staying Safe Online
As part of joint ongoing commitment to safeguarding across every environment within football, The FA has produced a range of Guidance Notes related to online safety. They’re listed below and are available as part of our complete suite of safeguarding guidance notes by following the link below.
- 6.1: Running website or social media platforms (for clubs and leagues)
- 6.2: Digital communications and children (for all)
- 6.3: Staying safe in the digital world (for teenagers)
- 7.4: Fake news – what to trust online (for all)
- 8.5: Tips to ensure your child’s online safety (for parents/carers)
- 8.6: Grooming – the signs and steps to take if you’re worried about a child (for parents/carers)
