East Midlands MEP speaks about online child safety for Safer Internet Day

Emma McClarkin MEP, the Conservative Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands, has today made a speech at the European Commission about child safety online, in advance of Safer Internet Day tomorrow.

In the speech, she highlighted that the day is building on the work that has been started, and is helping to put out the message, to both parents and children, about the dangers posed by the internet. Speaking about Safer Internet Day, she said:

“It delivers a number of crucial activities to promote safe and responsible internet use, not just for children and young people but also their parents and teachers.”

Alongside her speech, Miss McClarkin is highlighting the website www.saferinternet.org.uk, which provides e-safety tips, advice and resources to help children and young people stay safe while using the internet.

Miss McClarkin has been a vocal proponent of measures to help protect children online, and campaigns tirelessly for measures to help protect children from online abuse.

Safer Internet Day is organised in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, in February of each year, to promote the safe and responsible use of online technology and mobile phones for children and young people.

Safer Internet Day 2014 will take place on Tuesday 11th February 2014, with the theme ‘let’s create a better internet together’. The day offers the opportunity to focus on both the creative things that children and young people are doing online, as well as the role and responsibility that all stakeholders have in helping to create a better internet.

Prior to her speech, Miss McClarkin said:

“I’m absolutely passionate about the fight to protect children online, and I would urge young people, parents, teachers and anyone who works with children across the East Midlands to take a few minutes to visit the Safer Internet website and read their tips and advice.

“The site has really good resources on it, including guides for parents who may not be as tech-savvy as their children.

“By each learning that little bit more about internet safety, we can all help to further protect our children from online abuse.”