When is Internet Safety Month?
In the United States, June is designated as Internet Safety Month. The month is a national opportunity to focus on growing online threats that impact everyone — especially our youth.
The U.S. government first recognized Internet Safety Month in 2005 in response to the growing dangers presented by the explosive growth of technology. The resolution formally:
”“...recognizes that National Internet Safety Month provides an opportunity to educate the people of the United States on the dangers of the Internet and the importance of being safe and responsible online; commends and recognizes national and community organizations for their work in promoting awareness of the dangers of the Internet and for providing information and training that develops the critical thinking and decision making skills needed to be safe online; and calls on Internet safety organizations, law enforcement, educators, community leaders, parents, and volunteers to increase their efforts to raise the level of awareness in the United States regarding the need for online safety.”
109th United States Congress
Why is Internet Safety Month needed?
Almost every kind of online danger, from grooming to sextortion, has spread like wildfire since 2005.
From 2021 to 2022, NCMEC reported a 7,200% increase in financial sextortion targeting children. Sextortion is such a big problem that the FBI issued a formal warning.
The Internet Watch Foundation reported a 19% increase in online sextortion of minors year-over-year from 2023 to 2024.
Reports of Child Sexual Abuse Material increased 87% between 2019 and 2023.
At least one in six kids has experienced cyberbullying, a 3% increase since 2018.
A 2023 study by Economist Impact said that 54% of 18-year-olds reported experiencing some kind of online harm.
NCMEC found that between 2020 and 2023, about half of the children who were kidnapped following online enticement were younger than 15.
Taking action against online harm has never been more important than it is right now.
What happens during Internet Safety Month?
In the decades since Internet Safety Month was established, more and more government departments and nonprofit organizations have gotten involved in using the opportunity for additional training and awareness around online safety and security.
Notably, the OJJDP (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention) partners closely with NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) for digital safety initiatives during Internet Safety Month. They emphasize the importance of the Take It Down tool, letting teenagers know that if anyone is posting explicit or compromising photos of them online, they can submit a complaint through Take It Down to have the photos removed. NCMEC also operates a CyberTipline, allowing anyone who witnesses potential online exploitation of minors to report it.
In addition to formally emphasizing these resources in schools, the OJJDP has taken the month as an opportunity to spread a fact sheet for victims of sextortion and special resources for law enforcement.
America’s Cyber Defence Agency also issues formal security recommendations, such as:
- Use strong passwords and two factor authentication
- Install app and software updates immediately
- Learn the signs of scamming and report it when you see it
Nonprofit organizations such as Influenced have the ability to provide more in-depth safety tips that apply specifically to the real challenges that young people face on a daily basis. Those tips include:
- Maintaining open and honest communication between children and safe adults
- Familiarizing yourself with each platform’s privacy settings and keeping as much information private as possible
- Not accepting follow or friend requests from strangers
- Learning how to report and block harmful accounts
- Fact check content that seems inflammatory or generated by AI
- Setting appropriate screen time limits
- Using social media to enhance, not replace, real-world relationships and experiences
Resources for Internet Safety Month
Take It Down Tool
As previously mentioned, if you or someone you know has nudes or other compromising photos of you circulating online, there is hope. Go to takeitdown.ncmec.org to start the process. They will help you remove the imagery from the internet.
CyberTipline
The CyberTipline allows anyone to make a report of potential online exploitation. Even if it’s just something suspicious you find online, you can take action. File a report at report.cybertip.org, after which the appropriate authorities will get involved. If the person being abused isn’t a minor, you can also use the FBI’s reporting mechanism at the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Safety Pledge
NCMEC and the White House have partnered to invite parents to better inform themselves on online safety — and them commit to uphold it. Consider signing the pledge this month: safetypledge.org
Crisis Text Line
Being cyberbullied or sextorted can have serious mental health impacts. Even just accidentally stumbling on really disturbing content can leave you feeling shaken up. The Crisis Text Line is a 24/7 resources that you can access by texting HOME to 741741 or chatting online or via WhatsApp.
Influenced
If you are a parent wanting to use Internet Safety Month as an opportunity to learn more about connecting to and protecting your child, you can take the Influenced Parent Academy. This online course is packed with expert, compassionate insights into how to navigate digital dangers.
If you’re a teenager or young adult wanting to make the most of Internet Safety Month, follow Influenced on Instagram and TikTok and share the content there with your friends. Your efforts to raise awareness will make the internet safer for everyone.
All imagery in this blog was generated using Adobe Firefly A.I.
