Safer Internet Day 2021Safer Internet Day on 09.02.2021 on opinion forming and disinformation online: Nationwide events and digital offerings
What do I believe?" is the theme of Safer Internet Day 2021 in Germany. To mark the global day of action for more online safety on February 9, the EU initiative klicksafe and numerous institutions throughout Germany are offering digital events and assistance on how to deal with fake news and conspiracy ideologies. On social media, the day of action will be discussed and accompanied by the hashtags #WerMachtMeineMeinung and #SID2021.
Ludwigshafen/Düsseldorf, February 2, 2021 | False news, conspiracy ideologies and other forms of disinformation: Anyone who informs themselves on the Internet is exposed to a multitude of messages, some of which are not messages at all. Sometimes roaring loudly, sometimes creeping quietly, these undermine trust in our fellow human beings and in our democratic society. The problem is particularly visible in current topics, whether the U.S. election or the Corona pandemic.
Deciding what to ultimately believe can therefore be as difficult as it is fraught with consequences. Children and young people in particular need the skills to form their own opinions between traditional media and social media channels. This year's Safer Internet Day, which takes place on February 9 under the motto "What do I believe - forming opinions between fact and fake", aims to raise awareness and provide support.
"Young people in particular are often on the move in social networks and inform themselves online. It is often difficult to assess the credibility of information. That's why it's important to address the issue of disinformation in an age-appropriate way, to make young people aware that there are misleading messages online and to show them how to deal with them," says Nadine Eikenbusch, media education expert at the EU initiative klicksafe.
Online events throughout Germany: Join in now!
With more than 100 events and projects, foundations, companies, schools, youth organizations, educational institutions, associations and also private individuals are participating in Safer Internet Day throughout Germany - for well-known reasons this year exclusively online.
The EU initiative klicksafe is calling on the public to participate in the many digital formats and virtual workshops on the topics of Internet safety and media literacy, or to contribute their own offerings at short notice. Planned activities can be found at klicksafe.de/sid/aktionen .
Extensive klicksafe material for forming opinions on the Internet
The EU initiative klicksafe promotes online literacy, especially among children and young people, through a variety of offerings. For them, as well as for parents, teachers and all other interested parties, klicksafe experts have developed brochures, videos and checklists on opinion-forming and fake news on the Internet, which will be available for download from klicksafe.de/sid from February 9.
This is how klicksafe recommends reading news on the Internet:
- Critically examine sensational headlines
- sources: Where does the information come from?
- Checking facts: Is what is claimed true?
- To pay attention to the topicality: When was the information published?
- Examine images or videos and use the reverse image search function.
Birgit Kimmel, head of the EU initiative klicksafe: "Fake news creates uncertainty and confusion in order to manipulate the public and thus achieve one's own interests more easily. This action is unethical because it disregards the truth, and it is anti-social and dangerous because it undermines democracy. That's why we must work together #FactsProtect. Because only on the basis of facts can we as a society find sustainable answers to the questions of our time."
Interview partners and press kit on the topic are available
klicksafe experts are available for interviews at any time. Representatives of media institutions as well as young people and influencers are also available for interviews upon request.
In the electronic press kit, which is now available at klicksafe.de/sid/presse , you will find:
- The new brochure "Do you still trust or do you already check?" on fake news and conspiracy ideologies - what's behind them and how to uncover them
- A checklist for families - how to track down fake news together
- Video interviews with young people on conspiracy theories and fake news
- Practical projects on the handbook: "Ethik macht kli Opinion-forming in the digital world
- Photo material incl. Download links
The press kit will be supplemented in time for Safer Internet Day on 9 February with additional video material, the new klicksafe handbook with teaching materials and the results of a current survey by klicksafe and forsa.
About Safer Internet Day
Safer Internet Day (SID) is a global day of action for more online safety and a better Internet for children and young people. Since 2004, it has always taken place on the Tuesday of the second week in February and each year sets a new thematic focus as part of the international motto "Together for a better internet". In Germany, Safer Internet Day is coordinated by the EU initiative klicksafe.
About klicksafe
klicksafe aims to promote people's online competence and to support them in their competent and critical use of the Internet with a wide range of offers. The EU initiative is politically and economically independent and is implemented in Germany by the media institutions in Rhineland-Palatinate (coordinator) and in North Rhine-Westphalia . The website www.klicksafe.de provides users with a wide range of up-to-date information, practical tips and teaching materials on digital services and topics. The target groups are teachers, educators, parents, children, young people and multipliers. klicksafe is the national German awareness center and is funded by the CEF Telecom Program of the European Union. Since 2008, klicksafe has also coordinated the Safer Internet Centre DE,which includes the Internet hotlines of eco, FSM and jugendschutz.net , as well as the helpline Nummer gegen Kummer nbsp;.
Links and hashtags
#WhoMakesMyOpinion (thematic reference)
#SID2021 and #SaferInternetDay (general, international)