Safer Internet Day (SID) is marked the second Tuesday of February each year and is an awareness-raising campaign that started in Europe but is now celebrated in over 100 countries. SID gained official recognition in 2012 with a joint agreement between the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the European Commission to work together to build a better Internet for youth. ConnectSafely.org coordinates the SID efforts in the U.S.

The Internet is a place where many of us go to learn, be entertained and stay connected with friends and family. But it can also be a place to perpetrate negative or mean forms of behavior like trolling and bullying. In our current political environment it’s all too easy to feel emboldened to “shout” down people with a differing viewpoint, but that goes against what I think we should all be striving to create; a culture of positive engagement online that fosters responsible use of technology. So join me and thousands of others from across the globe in celebration of Safer Internet Day. This year’s theme? “Be the Change: Unite for a Better Internet.”

Share One Good Thing
Let’s spread an epidemic of kindness! Think of a good thing you’ve done or seen someone else do to make the Internet a better place (here are some examples), then share it with a little text or video telling ConnectSafely about it – just 15-30 seconds or 50 words or so, short and sweet. The best ones will be shared on Safer Internet Day’s website.

Spread the word on social media: Use my #OneGoodThing to help create a better Internet for #SaferInternetDay #SID2017. Add yours! SaferInternetDay.us