Developing critical thinking on Safer Internet Day

This year's Safer Internet Day, 11 February, is themed Together for a better internet, and highlights the importance of promoting an internet that is inclusive, fair and respectful to all.

Events will also take place around the world throughout February.

Staying safe online

Safer Internet Day aims to raise awareness of issues related to the internet and online activities, and include pupils and young people in crafting a positive online environment. 

During Safer Internet Day 2025, schools, teachers, parents and caregivers are encouraged to get actively involved in young people’s online lives. 

As digital natives, young people are increasingly reliant on the internet for education, social interaction and entertainment. By encouraging responsible digital learning in the classroom and at home, young people can be confident that they have someone to speak to if they encounter anything harmful online.

It's also important to educate children and young people to critically assess the sources and credibility of the information they encounter, so that they can safely enjoy interacting online.

Empowering teachers through training

As part of Safer Internet Day, Better Internet for Kids is hosting a massive open online course (MOOC) from 3 February to 12 March, ‘Child Online Safety: What Educators need to know’. The course will inform teachers and help them understand the specific risks and challenges that children and young people face online. It will also explore the ways in which teachers and schools can help  protect and raise awareness in their pupils, to tackle these challenges.

The Better Internet for Kids website also contains a dedicated area with educational materials, to equip teachers and educators with the knowledge and skills they need to support and guide young people online. Visit the site and learn more about the Learning corner for teachers.

Discover more about Safer Internet Day, and stay up to date via its social media profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Discover more resources on the European School Education Platform

Online safety and digital literacy are one of the ongoing priorities of the European School Education Platform. The platform offers several resources on the topic. For instance, one project kit explains how to create a digital citizenship gallery with pupils, to build awareness of their digital rights and responsibilities.

The award-winning project ‘The Disconnect’ demonstrates how to teach pupils critical and responsible use of the internet.

Webinars offer bite-sized learning opportunities. Join the live session on 17 February to learn how to support critical thinking with technology in the classroom, or use the following webinar recordings as self-study material, at your own time and pace:

• Understanding, preventing and responding to cyberbullying
• New online reading skills: how schools can tackle information disorder

Safer Internet Day is organised by the Insafe/INHOPE network of European Safer Internet Centres, supported by the European Commission. It is part of the European Commission's strategy for a Better Internet for Kids (BIK+).