Net-Safe Latvia project became an awareness center combining awareness work, hotline and helpline January 2009. As an awareness center the project is implemented by Latvian Internet Association and the State Children Rights Inspectorate.

The aim of the awareness center is while informing about the possibilities provided by internet warn about the potential threats and to provide facilities which can help to deal with illegal internet content and braches online. Three main target groups have been indicated by the project – children, their parents/caretakers, teachers/educators.

Net-Safe Latvia project is the recognized in society as a valuable and needed project dealing with internet safety issues. Project has strong support from national stakeholders including Law Enforcement, Industry, educational institutions and several NGO’s.

The centre initiates, coordinates and participates in broad rage of activities and initiatives promoting safer use of internet for all indicated target groups. Among others:

National campaigns

Net-Safe Latvia project coordinates and promotes the International Safer Internet Day in Latvia by organizing public events, seminars and discussions. Project along with other stakeholders also organizes national level social campaigns:

• Year 2007: Do IT also on the Internet! Promoting the idea, that parents should have serious interest in their children online activities.
•  Year 2008: You are like on Stage when Online! Promoting the idea, that personal image and privacy management online is very important and should be taken seriously.
• Year 2009: Stop bullying online! Promoting the idea, that bullying online should not be tolerated and should be reported, promotion of children Helpline 116111.
• Year 2010: Think before you post! Promoting the idea, that everything you post online, can be visible to anyone!

Educational Seminars

On a regular basis the project representatives participate and organize educational seminars for target groups – schoolchildren, their parents/caretakers and teachers/educators. During the previous project periods 2006 - 2008 in total 60 different seminars were organized reaching 4050 schoolchildren, 530 teachers/educators, 485 parents/caretakers.

Youth Panel

May 2009 was the first time when a national Youth Panel was developed uniting 13 youngsters aged 11 – 17. A separate section in project web page is dedicated for the youth panel, available here >>>

Development of educational materials

•  Internet Safety – Practical and useful advice – an educative material developed in corporation with publishing house Zvaigzne ABC Ltd. for schoolchildren grade 5 – 7. The material is available at schools for school year 2009/2010.
•  Don’t behave like a donkey online! – an educative DVD containing educative film for youngsters, project print materials, presentations and other materials to encourage a discussion on internet safety related issues. This DVD was distributed in all schools (total 907 schools) in the school year 2008/2009.

Conduction of Researches

To implement project and its activities more effectively, Net-Safe Latvia sees researches as an excellent way to find out what are the main habits, knowledge and perceptions about internet safety among project target groups – children, youngsters, their parents and educators. Researches are conducted every 2 years and are available here >>>

The Latvian Safer Internet Centre – Net-Safe Latvia project – has a combined web page containing all information on the work of the awareness centre, hotline and helpline; it is available in Latvian, Russian (shorter version) and English (summary version): http://www.drossinternets.lv 

Net-Safe Latvia projekta mājas lapā atradīsiet informāciju par drošību internetā, iespēju ziņot par pārkāpumiem internetā un informāciju par to kādu palīdzību saņemsiet zvanot uz uzticības tālruni! (116111) Mājas lapa pieejama: http://www.drossinternets.lv 

The coordinators of the Latvian Awareness Centre:

Latvian Internet Association

The State Inspectorate for Protection of Children Rights