In the digital age, the internet is omnipresent in all our lives, and particularly in the lives of children and teenagers. It is at once a source of learning, creativity and socialising — but also a space where certain risks, such as cyberbullying, disinformation or loss of bearings, can arise if one is not well prepared. It is in this context that Safer Internet Day is held every year, an international day of awareness for a safer and more responsible internet.
Organised in Europe by Internet Sans Crainte and relayed internationally by networks of schools, associations, companies and institutions, this day aims to promote responsible and positive digital uses. It is part of an educational approach, as opposed to prevention based on fear, whose effects are often counter-productive: stirring up anxiety or prohibition does not help children and teenagers to understand, to develop their critical thinking or to adopt informed behaviours in the long term.
Like the 3-6-9-12 association, this approach favours education and support over prohibition. The aim is to give young people, but also parents and professionals, milestones, tools and a gradual understanding of digital uses, in order to foster considered and secure autonomy, rather than forced and fragile obedience.
This year, Safer Internet Day 2026 will run from 10 February to 31 March 2026. This edition will focus on the link between screens and mental health, around the slogan “Screens and you… how’s it going? ”.
It is an opportunity for schools to organise awareness workshops for pupils and their families. To support them, many teaching resources will be made available. Webinars and poster competitions will complete the programme, to help parents and teachers better understand and encourage responsible digital uses.
A day that has been working for years!
Data from the campaigns’ impact reports show that Safer Internet Day is not a mere communications exercise: it concretely engages young people and educators.
Figures:
- In the 2025 edition in the United Kingdom:
- 160,000 downloads of the educational resources;
- >86,000 young people tested their knowledge with an online quiz;
- 96% of teachers noticed greater awareness of digital risks among pupils after the activities linked to the day.
- In 2024:
- Safer Internet Day films and content generated >1.6 million views and 600 million media impressions;
- >25,000 young people took part in the interactive quizzes;
- 95% of teachers felt that pupils were more confident about staying safe online after the activities.
- In France, more than 390,000 pupils were made aware of the issues through digital learning pathways during Safer Internet Day.
These figures show that the day is shifting things: it not only informs, but above all starts a dialogue about digital uses, strengthens skills and anticipates risks.
Education about screens and the internet is not uniform: it must follow the stages of the child’s development. That is the idea defended by our 3-6-9-12 association.
In summary, and in practice:
- Before age 3: avoid screens, favour human interaction and sensory development.
- Ages 3–6: occasional screens, preferably educational, accompanied by an adult (watching cartoons together, explaining the content), and/or with time for discussion to talk with children about what they have watched.
- Ages 6–9: encourage creative activities with digital tools (photography, video games).
- Ages 9–12: accompanied internet use and talking about the rules: learning to protect one’s privacy.
- After age 12: my child “surfs” the web alone, but I set clear rules with them (defining screen time together, the types of activities allowed).
This approach, easy to remember, helps families gradually structure their children’s digital autonomy without leaving room for anxiety or outright prohibition.
Why do these campaigns matter?
The figures show that awareness-raising works: not only do young people make online safety issues their own, but teachers and parents say they feel more confident about tackling these subjects with them.
More importantly still, beyond the figures, the day creates a space for discussion where children feel listened to, and where adults can answer their concrete questions: how to react to cyberbullying, how to recognise false information, how to protect personal data, and so on.
Conclusion
Safer Internet Day is not just a showcase day: it is a living teaching tool that mobilises schools, families, institutions and young people around a common goal: building a safer and calmer internet for everyone. By combining simple milestones like those offered by the 3-6-9-12 approach with concrete and interactive actions, this awareness-raising contributes to more thoughtful, more confident and more responsible digital use.
F.G.
