Young people are interacting in dynamic and very personal ways with their close friends, with family and with chosen “online friends”. Children, having a heightened need to communicate and to be included in social networks, are once again pushing the boundaries of technology to create virtual “social networks” that are transforming the way we live. These new social contexts and platforms for expression make it necessary to re-think our values in terms of human relations, be it through the intermediary of technology.

For the fourth annual Safer Internet Day celebrations two European projects, Insafe and eTwinning, have joined forces. They have worked together to promote a competition that combines the educational use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) with raising awareness of the risks of using the internet and mobile phones. Schools across the globe have been working in pairs, using technology to cross geographical borders. Through their work, contestants have mapped their own use and experience of online technologies, and discussed one of the three themes:

• e-privacy: how does privacy work online?
• netiquette: what is the netiquette of online communication?
• power of image: how can I safely share my digital photos on the internet?

Each partnership will post their project on the Blogathon before it is visible to the wider public. Four winning-pairs will be announced on Safer Internet Day when Commissioner Viviane Reding declares the Blogathon open, and each winning partnership will receive a prize to the value of €3,000 to be shared in ICT equipment for their schools.

Throughout the day on February 6, the Blogathon will move west across the globe through the different time zones and languages of the world. All are invited to join in the discussion on Safer Internet Day by logging on to the Blogathon at http://blog.eun.org/SID2007

Further information:
info-insafe@eun.org

Media room – press kit for journalists
http://www.saferinternet.org/ww/en/pub/insafe/mediaroom.htm

Insafe:
www.saferinternet.org

National nodes of Insafe:
http://www.saferinternet.org/ww/en/pub/insafe/focus.htm

Safer Internet Day Blogathon (opening on February 6):
http://blog.eun.org/SID2007

EU Safer Internet Programme:
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/activities/sip/index_en.htm

eTwinning (partner in the Safer Internet Day competition for schools):
http://www.etwinning.net

About European Schoolnet:
European Schoolnet is a unique not-for-profit consortium of 28 ministries of education in Europe created in 1997. It provides major European education portals for teaching, learning and collaboration and leads the way in bringing about change in schooling through the use of new technology.

About Insafe
European Schoolnet coordinates the European Safer Internet network, Insafe, which aims to empower citizens to use the Internet, as well as other information and communication technologies, safely, ethically and effectively. It is funded by the European Commission’s Directorate General for the Information Society and Media and comprises national nodes in 24 countries in Europe. It works in collaboration with three associated nodes, in Argentina, Australia and the USA.