Digicel celebrates Safer Internet Day in 31 markets

Students at the Belair Government School learned more about safer Internet usage in a face-to-face session with Digicel staff members on Safer Internet Day, February 6, 2018.

The theme for this year’s celebration of Safer Internet Day is “Create, Connect and Share Respect: A better Internet starts with you,” which is a timely reminder in the age of bullying and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).

Marketing executive Jamisha Wright presented on how to use the Internet safely and positively, in a way that helps to create a better digital experience for everyone.

“When we were kids, we didn’t have nearly the same kinds of pressures that the youth of today face. Technology has created a culture of immediacy, where people feel the need to always be engaged; in many cases, this doesn’t provide time for thought and reflection before acting, and so people do, say, and post things that could hurt others, or that they themselves may ultimately regret,” shared Fanta Williams, director of Operations.

While exploring how to use the Internet positively, the point was made that it is the responsibility of everyone – young people, parents, teachers, social workers, law enforcement, companies, policy makers, and the general public – to work together to create a better, safer Internet.

Williams added, “At Digicel, we know the importance of clear and open lines of communication. And we believe that if we communicate with our children more openly and honestly, we can teach them about engaging responsibly, respecting each other and the value of pausing to reflect before acting. It’s all of these little things that add up to make a big difference in creating a more inclusive society.”

The interactive session saw the students engaged, asking questions and contributing to the overall conversation, raising for discussion the issues and challenges they face when it comes to using the Internet in a positive manner.

The session ended with the students and teachers all being presented with gifts, including: notebooks, water bottles, cakes and more from the Digicel team.