The Programme "Safer Internet" has the overall aim to promote safer use of the Internet and other communication technologies, especially by children, promote the development of a safe online environment, reduce the amount of illegal content disseminated online, tackle potentially harmful conduct online (including the psychological manipulation of children with a view to sexual abuse and ‘grooming’, which is the process by which an adult befriends a child with the intention of committing sexual abuse, electronic harassment and electronic files showing physical and/or psychological aggression) and ensure public awareness of online risks and precautions, as well as to develop pedagogical tools on the basis of sound practices.

To achieve this objective, the Programme will focus on practical help for the end-user, particularly children, parents, carers, teachers and educators, by encouraging multi-stakeholder partnerships.

The Programme will be implemented through four general action lines:

1. Ensuring public awareness.
2. Fighting against illegal content and harmful conduct online.
3. Promoting a safer online environment.
4. Establishing a knowledge base.

Shared-cost actions

• Pilot projects and best practice actions; ad hoc projects in areas relevant to the Programme, including projects demonstrating best practice or involving innovative uses of existing technology.
• Networks and national actions bringing together a variety of stakeholders to ensure action throughout Europe and to facilitate coordination activities and transfer of knowledge.
• Europe-wide investigation carried out on a comparable basis on the use of online technologies, the resulting risks for children, and the effects of harmful practices on children, and behavioural and psychological aspects with emphasis on child sexual abuse related to the use of online technologies, investigation on upcoming risk situations due to transforming behaviours or technological developments, etc.
• Technology deployment projects.

Accompanying measures

Accompanying measures will contribute to the implementation of the Programme or the preparation of future
activities.

• Benchmarking and opinion surveys to produce reliable data on safer use of online technologies for all Member States collected through comparable methodologies.
• Technical assessment of technologies such as filtering which are designed to promote safer use of the Internet and new online technologies.
• Studies in support of the Programme and its actions.
• Exchange of information through conferences, seminars, workshops or other meetings and the management of clustered activities.
• Dissemination, information and communication activities.

The Community provisional funding available for the programme is:

• 55,00 Million EUR (Global Budget)