Today, February 9, is Safer Internet Day. Organized by Insafe (the European Safer Internet awareness-raising network co-funded by the European Commission), Safer Internet Day is part of a global awareness-raising campaign to promote a safer Internet, especially for children and young people.

Safer Internet Day 2010 is focused on the theme, Think B4 U Post.  “Once an image is posted online, it’s hard, if not impossible, to take it back. Anyone can see it. The goal is not to prevent young people from using these sites, but to make them aware of the risks of sharing personal information online and to encourage them to control their online identity by thinking carefully about the consequences,” according to Insafe.

It might be commonly believed that today’s kids, teens and young adults - having grown up with the both the pros and cons of leading an online life - are knowledgeable on the privacy and security risks of the Internet. But, Insafe cites figures from a recent European online survey that proves some discrepancies in that logic, showing that young people need guidance in order to take control of their personal information online. While over half of the children and young adults surveyed said they realize that it’s not safe to post personal information on their blog or social networking sites, according to the study’s findings:

• 44% provide personal details on the Internet

• One in eight give out their home address

• 40% of parents in Europe admit that they don’t monitor their children online

Safer Internet Day celebrations are taking place in over 60 countries on all 5 continents across the world, including all 27 countries of the European Union. You can learn more at www.saferinternet.org.

Looking for more information on how to protect yourself and your family online? Visit the Lavasoft Security Center for tips you can put to use today.