A new initiative aimed at promoting safer and more effective use of social networking websites by children has been launched by Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin.
The programme has been developed by the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) in partnership with the Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) Curriculum Support Service and the National Parents Council - Primary (NPC).
It is intended to educate teachers and parents as well as children on how to stay safe online, particularly when using social networking sites such as Bebo, Facebook and MySpace.
As part of the initiative, a number of safety seminars are to be run around the country which will seek to educate parents on how to supervise their children's use of the internet. These seminars will deal with issues such as cyber bullying, the disclosing of personal information and the more effective use of social networking sites.
In addition, workshops and in-service training will also be offered to primary and post-primary teachers.
Speaking at the launch of the programme, Minister Hanafin said: "This new initiative will support both parents and schools in assisting our children to develop the new life skills necessary to ensure safe and worthwhile experiences with Internet technologies".
As organisations in over 50 countries around the world prepare to engage in Safer Internet Day activities on the 12th February, Minister Hanafin said that Ireland had been proactive in highlighting dangers and improving information for all about the internet.
Nonetheless, the minister warned that more must be done to ensure that chidren stay safe online.
"The internet is a hugely valuable resource for everyone including young people. However, we must ensure young people understand that sources of information put on the World Wide Web may not always be what they seem," said Minister Hanafin.
"There are also many dangers in providing personal information, which can be accessed by people that it was not intended for. Young people using social networking sites need to be aware of and sensitive to their role in influencing the behaviour of others through their online lives," she added.
