Dear Principal
Safer Internet Day Tuesday 5 February 2013 – CYBERBULLYING
I am writing to you from the Office for Internet Safety (OIS) in the Department of Justice and Equality to let you know about international Safer Internet Day (SID) 2013.
We are focusing on the topic of cyberbullying for SID 2013. A poster, a leaflet and a bookmark containing key advice on how to deal with cyberbullying are available on www.internetsafety.ie and a limited number of hard copies are available from OIS – details on the website. Copies are also being made available through public libraries.
The OIS website also gives details about the origins and scope of Safer Internet Day as well as the work of the OIS. There are links to useful sites such as those of our four partners in the EU Safer Internet Programme in Ireland namely:
- PDST Technology in Education (formerly NCTE, www.ncte.ie) – is organising the launch event in Ireland for SID 2013. It also hosts www.webwise.ie for parents and teachers and www.watchyourspace.ie for young persons
- ISPCC – hosts www.childline.ie and operates a helpline for children
- National Parents Council (Primary) – runs a helpline for parents and
- Hotline.ie where suspected illegal online content can be reported on www.hotline.ie with a view to its removal.
The OIS believes that the internet is a rich resource particularly for educational purposes. However, as with any public space, there are dangers for the unwary. We hope that the SID materials will be a useful resource for your school and help your students to use the web safely.
Yours sincerely,
HUGH BOYLE
Office for Internet Safety