Thought For The Day – Tuesday 11th February 2025
Safer Internet Day
Today is Safer Internet Day.
With the environment, “Be Black, Gold and Green” week continues today, on-line safety is the challenge of our times.
Both issues are ultimately about safety for everyone.
The Internet, is, to a certain extent, a library in the pocket, though it is not the same as the experience of an actual library. The Internet can be a legal, moral and positive means of awareness, communication, education, information, opportunity, support and understanding. Past generations would be truly amazed at being able to send a message in a second.
However, as with anything, we have to be careful, ethical, healthy, legal and safe. Technology and morality.
There is also no substitute for respectful “in person” experiences. We must not to live our lives through our ‘phones. This message here, for example, is probably best talked about as well as, or even rather than, e-mailed.
When on-line, our behaviour is the same as in any other context. We are kind, legal, moral and safe in our on-line choices. Our digital footprint matters. And we share any concerns, mistakes, stresses and worries.
With great power comes great, and moral, duty and responsibility. It is equally absolutely vital that those in charge of the Internet, or any part of it, make cyberspace healthy, kind, legal, respectful and safe for all, especially young people. Negative algorithms can be dangerous and harmful beyond words. Hateful and violent material is always evil, illegal and wrong.
In recent times, truly inspirational citizens in the U.K., and around the world, some of them very tragically bereaved, have campaigned for better and more safety on-line, influencing and inspiring new laws.
The theme of “Safer Internet Day” 2025 is “Too Good To Be True?”. This is a reminder to question on-line (and indeed off-line) content, being very aware, careful, and very questioning, of appearances, exploitation and manipulation and being upstanders for care, goodness and kindness.
