Why Safer Internet Day is more relevant than ever this year
On 9th February 2021, organisations around the world will celebrate Safer Internet Day. In the UK, the theme is: “An internet we trust: exploring reliability in the online world”.
At the Conscious Advertising Network (CAN), we believe that the advertising industry won’t regain trust in digital advertising unless we fix the wider internet. This year’s Safer Internet Day theme looking at fact or fiction online, is a key area where CAN aims to make a difference, with our Fake News & Misinformation manifesto.
It is our belief that advertisers must take responsibility to ensure they don’t fund fake news and any intentionally misleading content. Safer Internet Day also touches on other areas of our purpose with our Children’s Wellbeing and Informed Consent manifestos .
We asked CAN supporters why this year feels more important than ever. First up is our co-founder Jake Dubbins:
“The internet has democratised information and communications like nothing else in history. In 2021 it has become a battleground. Misinformation about public health and climate, hate directed at minority groups and a propaganda tool to subvert democracy. In some parts of the world, it is used to organise coups, in others it can be switched off to deny people the right to challenge them.
We all have a responsibility to fight for a safer internet. An internet of information not misinformation, healthy debate, not abuse, kindness and common humanity not division. It is the responsibility of all of us — governments, business, media and the people to shape the internet we want to see.”
Building on this, Brand Advance Founder and CEO Christopher Kenna gives his perspective on the importance of Safer Internet Day as a Black man:
“The importance of a Safer Internet Day, and all of us coming together to build a safe, secure source of diverse thought and truth called The Internet, cannot be overstated in the current climate .
I’m a black man, and daily I am bearing witness to hardship and sometimes death reaped on communities of colour across the world because of false news and unregulated sources of false truth.
“This is having an impact across all parts of society. Fake news around vaccines is affecting ethnic communities’ considerations about accepting the COVID vaccine. Fake news about 5G masts has resulted in attacks on masts around the country, impacting key infrastructure at a time when we need to connect virtually mor e than ever before.
CAN and its many members fight this fight every day, but it’s great to have a day when the world can join to make the internet what it truly should be: a safe, secure source of diverse thought and truth!”
O2 have seen the damage that fake news can cause, with recent misinformation around 5G resulting in safety risks to engineers and vandalism to masts, as Chris mentions. It’s vital to note that it’s not necessarily 5G masts being destroyed, they are 3G and 4G masts, which are keeping the country connected, vulnerable people in touch with loved ones and allowing emergency services to respond to those in need.
As a provider of technology, O2 are committed to ensuring it is used as a positive force for good and their ongoing work with the NSPCC to give online safety guidance through Net Aware helps to ensure that the internet is a safer place. O2’s Partnerships Manager Elisabeth Rochford tells us why Safer Internet Day is so important and how O2 is supporting.
“For young people, there is often little distinction between the online and offline world. Yet our research shows that parents approach safety in both worlds very differently. At O2, we believe the internet is full of amazing opportunities for kids to learn and play, but there can be risks. Safer Internet Day is a great reminder of the importance of online safety, and a time for parents and kids to play, share and learn together through open conversations about staying safe online.
It’s clear that now more than ever, we need to work together to make the online world a more reliable space. This Safer Internet Day, we’re encouraging parents to have conversations with their kids about staying safe online by directing them to the Net Aware site. Together with NSPCC, our Net Aware site offer parents lots of helpful tips and advice to keep kids safe online.”
It’s great to see the Net Aware initiative shines a light on such relatable challenges, such as how to teach kids to spot fake news online and tips for keeping kids safe online during lockdown.
On this Safer Internet Day, consider how your brand or organisation can make a difference and start to implement positive changes. To start, you could ask yourself some questions, for example:
● Exactly where are my ads appearing?
● Is it real people that are seeing them?
● Are we respecting diverse & at-risk audiences?
● Has the user given us consent to use their data?
Help us improve the ethics of the whole ecosystem for all.
Together for a better internet. Together we CAN.
