Safer Internet Day Event
For Safer Internet Day 2025 the Irish Safer Internet Centre, welcomed experts from Ireland and Europe to explore the #SID2025 theme ‘Prepare Protect Thrive – Navigating algorithms and influencers.
The Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee TD opened the event, which is the 22nd anniversary of Safer Internet Day, a landmark global event in the online safety calendar and celebrated in over 180 countries.
This year’s theme encourages parents, schools, educators, young people and all stakeholders to consider how algorithms and influencers shape young people’s lives.
The key issues discussed during the event included harmful online content, safety by design, regulation and children’s rights, among many others.
With keynote addresses from Professor Debbie Ging (DCU), Manon Baert 5Rights Foundation and Yves Punie from the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency, it highlighted Irish and European research and the key themes of how to prepare, protect and help children and young people thrive online.
Members of the Webwise Youth Advisory Panel began the days discussions, and encouraged the stakeholders present to consider the youth perspective on what needs to be done to create a safer better internet, especially for children and young people.
A panel discussion to consider influencer culture heard from Fiona Jennings (Policy ISPCC), Mark Walsh, CCPC (Competition and Consumer Protection Commission), and Sarah from the Webwise Youth Panel. This explored the rules and guidelines, the impact of influencer culture, the challenge and opportunities, and how to encourage young people to take a more critical approach to the influencers they follow.
The importance of fostering digital media literacy was addressed during a panel discussion featuring Martina Chapman, National Coordinator Media Literacy Ireland; Catherine Cross, Deputy CEO, National Parents Council; Kevin Doherty – Primary Educator and Professional Learning Leader – Oide Digital Technologies; Amanda Jolliffe, DreamSpace Lead at Microsoft Ireland; and Stephen Prior, Webwise Youth Advisory Panel.
Exploring the supports need for help foster and encourage digital media literacy amongst parents, in schools, and wider society.
Niamh Hodnett, Online Safety Commissioner, Coimisiún na Meán closed the event by reflecting on the changes that have come into effect over the past year, and looked forward to the developments.
A recording of the event will be available on webwise.ie, and report on Safer Internet Day 2025 in Ireland will be available in due course.
Irish Safer Internet Centre
The Irish Safer Internet Centre is a partnership of four leading organisations – Webwise, Hotline.ie, ISPCC and National Parents Council, with a mission to make the Internet a better place for children and young people, under the coordination of the Department of Justice – Cybercrime Division. The Irish Safer Internet Centre partner organisations work towards a shared mission of making the internet a safer and more inclusive place for children and young people.
