6 February 2017 Suffolk PCC supports national Safer Internet Day Suffolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Tim Passmore is joining Suffolk Constabulary to support Safer Internet Day 2017 (Tuesday 7 February), with the theme ‘Be the change: unite for a better internet’. Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, the annual event aims to highlight the positive use of technology and promote the role that everyone can play in helping to create a better and safer online community. The day sees hundreds of organisations get involved to help promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people. Globally, Safer Internet Day is celebrated in over a hundred countries, coordinated by the joint Insafe/INHOPE network, with the support of the European Commission, and national Safer Internet Centres across Europe. It calls upon young people, parents, carers, teachers, social workers, law enforcement, companies, policymakers, and the wider community, to join together in helping to create a better internet. The UK Safer Internet Centre – a partnership of three leading charities; Childnet, the South West Grid for Learning and the Internet Watch Foundation – provide resources for children, schools and families, and tools for getting involved at www.saferinternetday.org.uk. Advice is available for parents and carers to help engage young people in discussions around using the internet safely and the site gives useful guidance about how to have conversations around issues such as grooming and cyber bullying, and how to have open and honest discussions about both the benefits of and the dangers of the online world. Tim Passmore, Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner said, “I really appreciate the focus that Safer Internet Day brings to this relatively new, but very challenging issue. This campaign highlights the dangers that the internet can pose and I fully support it. “Keeping our children safe from the potential evils of the internet is a responsibility for us all and is absolutely critical. We need to work together to help create a safer, better online community. “The internet has many positives and I can’t image life without internet access but we also need to be aware of the dangers. Cybercrime has increased exponentially and this has been a real challenge for the Constabulary, but it is a challenge we are aware of and we’re investing in to keep our communities safe.” Detective Superintendent David Cutler, of Suffolk’s Protecting Vulnerable People team, said; “The internet and the ever increasing advances in digital technology continue to provide exciting new opportunities for all of us and in particular children. The instant availability of knowledge, entertainment and the ability to connect family and friends are all things we would embrace. With these positives also come some serious challenges and the UK Safer Internet Day highlights the ever increasing need to not only raise awareness of what our children are doing online, but to encourage open and honest dialogue about the dangers that they face. “It is important for children, young people and their parents and guardians to know how to stay safe on-line and what steps they can take to ensure that when they use the internet they do so safely . I fully support the valuable work that Safer Internet Day does in bringing many partners together to ensure that the message is heard and acted upon in our communities.” For more detailed information and online safety advice go to; http://www.suffolk.police.uk/advice/personal-safety/online-safet https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/ www.getsafeonline.org/
