Safer Internet Day 2026

The internet is amazing and can help us all to access information and entertainment. Spend time online with your child to understand how they are using technology and talk together about the good and the bad parts of being online. Talk about your own experiences and find other opportunities to get the conversation started, like stories in the news. Make sure your child knows they can talk to you about anything that they see or experience online.

From summaries on search engines, to voice assistants and photo editing tools, AI powered features are being added to many of the apps and devices we use day-to-day. Look out for information and warnings notifying you where AI technology is in use or where content has been created using AI. Help your child to recognise these too. Remember, AI can make some tasks simpler but may also collect data about you and your family, or share unreliable information, so consider how to use it safely and responsibly.

To use technology, including AI, safely and responsibly, it’s important to reflect on the potential impact it can have on yourself and others. How does your use of technology make you feel? How can you use technology with kindness and respect for others? Does your use of technology benefit you or help you build skills? How might it affect you now, and in the future? Ask these questions of your own internet use, as well as your family’s.

Like any technology, using AI comes with risks. Some AI tools, like ChatGPT, have built-in reporting features where you can raise issues such as inappropriate or harmful content. Many social media platforms also allow you to report content you suspect has been created with AI. Additionally, AI generated content can break the law. If you see illegal images that show child sexual abuse (including AI generated images), you should report these to the IWF and on the platform where they are being shared. If someone creates an image of you or your child using AI these can also be reported on the platform where they are being shared, and AI generated nude images can be reported to Stop NCII (for images of adults) and Report Remove or Take It Down (for images of under 18s).

Remember, if you or anyone else is in immediate danger, call 999 immediately.

Spending time online together with family is an important learning experience for the youngest internet users. Not only will you both enjoy the quality time together, but you can supervise their usage and guide them to make the safest choices.

Help give your child the words to explain what they’re experiencing online by starting conversations about the internet and technology as early as possible. Talking regularly about what they love doing online, as well as any worries they may have, will help establish this habit and mean they’re more likely to come to you for help as they get older.

Parental controls and other safety settings can help protect your child from online harms, including upsetting or inappropriate content. Think about how your child uses technology, for example if you have a smart TV or a voice assistant at home, and explore specific settings to support your household.

You don’t need to be a computing expert to start conversations at home about AI. Explaining that a voice assistant is a computer, not a person, or helping your child to understand that not everything they see online is real, is a good start. Encourage them to ask questions about the technology in their lives, and even if you don’t know the answers, you can find them out together.

The most important thing for your child to know is that you are always there to support them, online and offline. Encourage them to talk to you if anything they experience makes them feel worried or upset, and show them they can trust you to stay calm, listen and help make things better.

Artificial intelligence technology is used by lots of people every day. AI suggests videos on streaming apps like Disney+ and Netflix, gives directions on map apps, can help translate different languages and can even create music and poems. Talk to your friends and family to see what they know about AI and where they have used it.

Like a lot of other technology, AI can save us time and energy. You could use it to find the answer to a question, to check your spelling, or to create images or videos. Whilst AI can be a great tool, it’s important that we think about when and how we are using AI, and don’t use it in place of our own thinking and creativity, or to do things that may upset or worry other people.

Even though it might seem like it knows everything, AI can still get things wrong. If you are using AI to get information or help with something, it is important to think carefully about what it tells you and remember that it should never replace support from people you know and trust. If you are ever unsure about something AI has told you, check with other sources, this could include looking on websites you trust or talking to an adult. 

It can feel hard to tell if something has been created using AI or not. Some websites and apps will tell you that AI was used, but this doesn’t always happen. There are some signs you can look out for including if it looks surprising or shocking, if it looks too perfect, or if there are details you know aren’t true.  If you see something you are not sure is created using AI or not, speak to an adult about the signs they look for and try to work it out together. 

Although we know that AI can be used in a lot of great ways, remember there is always someone who can help if you are worried about something that has been created by AI or if you have concerns about the way you or someone you know is using AI.  You can speak to trusted adults like your parents, grandparents, teachers, or club leaders about any concerns you have online.