Safer Internet Day 2021Tomorrow's Safer Internet Day: Show commitment against disinformation, empower children and young people!
Fake news can lead to hatred, agitation and general uncertainty - that's what 90 percent of 14- to 24-year-olds think, according to a recent forsa survey. A quarter of respondents (25%) have problems recognizing fake news. The EU initiative klicksafe is therefore calling for commitment against disinformation on tomorrow's Safer Internet Day. Politicians and celebrities are also taking part in the #FaktenSchützen campaign. The motto of Safer Internet Day on February 9, 2021, is "What do I believe - forming opinions between fact and fake?
Ludwigshafen/Düsseldorf, 08.02.2021 | According to a forsa survey commissioned by the EU initiative klicksafe, 90 percent of young people aged 14 to 24 are convinced that false news can lead to hatred and incitement. A quarter of respondents (25%) say they cannot reliably distinguish fake news from real news. Around two-thirds (63%) believe that it would be easier for them to distinguish between fake news and real news if they were taught about it at school or during their education. Around two-thirds of respondents would find additional information in the media and on the platforms on which (fake) news spreads helpful. They cite Instagram (54%), YouTube (53%) and Facebook (42%) as the main sources of fake news.
The survey was prompted by tomorrow's Safer Internet Day, which takes place worldwide on February 9. In Germany, this year's campaign day is themed "What do I believe - forming opinions between fact and fake". The aim is to draw young people's attention to the dangers of disinformation on the Internet and to help them deal with false reports.
#FactsProtect: New education campaign from klicksafe
The EU initiative klicksafe, which is supported by the Media Authority NRW and the Media Authority RLP, is calling on all interested parties to use the hashtag #FaktenSchützen (Protect Facts) from February 9 to campaign for reliable facts and against false news on the Internet and also to raise awareness among others. Among the supporters of the #FaktenSchützen campaign are Prof. Monika Grütters, Minister of State for Culture and Media, Tagesthemen presenter Pinar Atalay, ntv presenter Jessika Westen, influencer Rob Bubble and many others.
The EU initiative klicksafe advises people to be careful with information, to check statements, images, videos and sources as carefully as possible and not to contribute to the spread of fake news by overzealous forwarding. If a message turns out to be fake, the sender should be informed accordingly. The fact that the spread of fake news poses a real danger to society has been demonstrated time and again in recent times.
Malu Dreyer, Minister President of Rhineland-Palatinate and Chairwoman of the Broadcasting Commission of the Länder: "We are currently experiencing in the Corona pandemic how quickly false information spreads and becomes entrenched. Especially in times of crisis, society's need for factual clarification, classification and information from serious and professional sources is high. Access to reliable information was and is crucial for the functioning of our democracy. For us politicians, I think the current situation also means that we have to explain our decisions even more, make the motives and contexts understandable."
Armin Laschet, Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia and Chairman of the CDU: "The Corona pandemic vividly demonstrates the relevance of reliable and safe information for opinion-forming in our country. Disinformation - whether in the form of false news or conspiracy myths - is a threat to our democracy and leads to the division of our society in the long term. This makes it all the more important to sensitize citizens to the responsible use of information on the Internet. The offerings of Safer Internet Day 2021 provide important assistance here and make a valuable contribution to strengthening media literacy."
Dr. Tobias Schmid, Director of the Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia: "Disinformation attacks the very heart of our democracy, namely freedom of expression. Half-truths, distorted images, twisted facts - they are all not easy to recognize and that is precisely why they are so dangerous. Learning to handle information confidently and critically is therefore crucial in dealing with disinformation. It's great that Safer Internet Day 2021 is focusing on this."
Over 150 nationwide and regional online SID events.
Safer Internet Day (SID) is a global day of action proclaimed by the EU for more online safety for children and young people. The EU initiative klicksafe coordinates the day of action in Germany, where more than 150 regional online events on media literacy and opinion-forming on the Internet will take place this year. Young people, parents and educators are invited to participate in the diverse digital formats and virtual workshops. More information and a map of the events can be found at klicksafe.de/sid/aktionen .
Dr. Marc Jan Eumann, Director of the Media Authority Rhineland-Palatinate: "The media authorities in Germany have currently investigated 700 websites, YouTube channels and social media offerings of so-called 'alternative media' and Influencer:innen. In around 35 percent of the cases, they identified an initial suspicion of content that is punishable, harmful to minors or detrimental to development. The unobjective, dramatizing and sometimes inflammatory style of many of the offerings investigated is particularly worrying with regard to their effect on children and young people. Against this background, the fight against disinformation and education is indispensable."
Interactive game, online quiz, webinar and extensive klicksafe information material on disinformation and opinion-forming on the net.
The experts at klicksafe are offering extensive material on the topic of disinformation for children, young people, parents, teachers and all other interested parties, which will be available at klicksafe.de/sid from 9 February. There is a webinar recording, an interactive online educational game about conspiracy theories, and an online quiz. For school lessons, there is, among other things, the new klicksafe handbook "Ethik macht Klick. Forming Opinions in the Digital World.
Interview partners and press kit on the topic are available
The directors of the Media Authority NRW and Media Authority RLP as well as klicksafe experts are available for interviews at any time. Young people will also be gladly arranged for interviews upon request.
The electronic press kit under www.klicksafe.de/sid/presse contains:
- The detailed results of the klicksafe-forsa survey from January 2021.
- Videosnippets for young people with Influencer:innen: to the topic #FaktenSchützen: The Influencer:innen MrWissen2Go, Klein aber Hannah, Lisa Sophie Laurent and Rewinside clarify about false news on the net and give tips on how to recognize them and how best to deal with them
- Selected #FactsSafe statements from campaign testimonials.
- Interviews with klicksafe experts on conspiracy theories and fake news, as well as with young people on the topic of the day of action, as audio, video, and text
- Webinar recording with klicksafe experts on the topic of "Opinion forming in the digital world - disinformation - fake news - conspiracy narratives".
- Information on the interactive klicksafe educational game about conspiracy theories and the current klicksafe quiz, each with photos or screenshots
- Teaching and educational materials, including the new klicksafe handbook "Ethik macht klick. Forming Opinions in the Digital World" as well as a brochure on false news and conspiracy ideologies and a checklist for families.
- Press photos incl. download links
SID 2021 website and hashtags
#FaktenSchützen (educational campaign)
#WerMachtMeineMeinung (thematic reference)
#SID2021 and #SaferInternetDay (general, international)
Social media
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.
On the website www.klicksafe.de , users can find 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.