Under the slogan “Think before sending”, Safer Internet Day, initiated by the European Commission, was held in Poland and throughout the European Union on February 9, 2010. This year’s slogan is geared towards young people who use social networking sites such as Facebook or the popular Polish Nasza-Klasa.pl portal.

Many Polish internet users, especially children, do not think about their safety when uploading pictures or personal information onto the internet, and are often unaware of the consequences. Another problem which is on the rise in Poland is cyber-bullying, which has affected over 50 percent of Polish teenagers who use the internet.

Cyberbullying came to Polish public awareness recently when a 21-year-old Polish youth committed suicide in Strzegom, south-west Poland, when a 16-year-old girl published a video showing an in-depth account of their sexual encounters in a local park in the Silesian town.

Source: Safer Internet Day in Poland, the news.pl. February 9, 2010, the news.pl. February 9, 2010

Tags: Poland, safe surfing, cyberbullying