Safer Internet Day 2025: Building a safer digital world

Tuesday 11 February sees us celebrate Safer Internet Day 2025. A global initiative aimed at promoting safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially among young or vulnerable individuals. This year's theme is ‘Too good to be true? Protecting yourself and others from scams online.’

Between October 2023 and September 2024, victims in Essex lost over two million pounds to fraud. Scams range from simple confidence tricks to sophisticated high-tech online fraud. That’s why it pays to stay informed about the latest scams and advice is crucial to protect yourself and others.

Keeping safe online can be challenging. New technology and regular updates can make it difficult to keep up. To help, we have created simple step-by-step guides on our Sort Your Settings webpage, offering practical advice on protecting yourself across various platforms and devices.

Since launching Sort Your Settings, our Business Crime Team has visited local businesses and well-known retailers like Currys, CEX, Vodafone, EE, and Game across Essex. These visits ensure parents are equipped with the tools to keep their loved ones safe as soon as purchases are made in-store.

PC Glen Foote of the Business Crime Team said:

“Our goal is to empower everyone with the knowledge necessary to make informed choices that best suit their needs and to help them keep themselves and their loved ones safe online.
"Sort Your Settings provides essential advice on protecting young and vulnerable individuals in the digital space. It offers practical tips for managing online gaming, social media, smartphones, and other devices to ensure a secure online experience.
"Together, we are dedicated to making the online world safer for everyone and assisting parents and guardians in navigating the challenges of digital safety.
"We are grateful for the support we have received from local stores such as Game, Currys, Smyths Toys, and CEX.
"Their partnership has been invaluable in helping us create a safer environment where families are more informed and prepared to handle the challenges of the digital world.”

The internet can be a tool used by criminals to target their victims, but a few simple steps can help keep you and your accounts secure:

• Use strong and separate passwords for online accounts.
• Set up two-step verification where available.
• Set parental controls to prevent unwanted online purchases and limit children’s access to harmful content.

Other common signs of a scam include unexpected contact or being asked for money or personal information (such as bank details, passwords, or phone numbers). Scammers use tactics to manipulate their victims into paying, like playing with emotions or creating a sense of urgency to rush decisions. If you aren’t sure that it’s reliable, don’t risk it.

Remember that anyone can be a victim of a scam. Scammers are skilled at what they do and will target anyone. We all need to stay vigilant and support those who are most vulnerable, including children, by helping them recognise what to look out for. To find out more about how you can protect your loved ones visit our Sort Your Setting advice pages.

Know where to get help if something goes wrong. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a scam online, you’re not alone. Help is available, and you are not to blame for what has happened. If you think you have been a victim of fraud, please report it.

Find out more about fraud, its many types and how you can report it on our fraud advice pages.

Keeping your child safe online is not always an easy task. New technology, regular updates or upgrades can change how things work, sometimes making it difficult to keep up.

So, to help, we have put together some simple things you can do to make your child’s online devices safer. 

Visit our Sort your settings page to find out how.