Limerick students lead the way in promoting online safety

FOUR students from Limerick are among over 100 students taking part in an online safety campaign.

The Webwise Safer Internet Day (SID) Ambassador Training Programme 2025 is a peer-led initiative that equips students with the knowledge and skills to run their own online safety campaigns in their schools and local communities. 

As part of the programme, Aisling Giltinane and Anna McCarthy of Laurel Hill Secondary School FCJ and Sophie Murphy and Abby Sweeney of Ardscoil Mhuire attended an in-person training day in Dublin, where they received support and guidance from the Webwise Youth Advisory Panel. 

The Ambassador Training Programme empowers students to take a leading role in creating a safer, better internet by tackling key issues like online bullying, misinformation, well-being, privacy, and digital rights. 

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The theme for Safer Internet Day 2025, happening on Tuesday, February 11, is Prepare, Protect, Thrive: Navigating Algorithms and Influencers.

This year’s campaign encourages schools, parents, young people, and educators to explore how algorithms and influencers shape young people’s online lives. 

Safer Internet Day (SID) is an EU-wide initiative to promote a safer internet for all users, especially young people. It is promoted in Ireland by the Oide Technology in Education and Webwise, with over 200,000 people taking part last year.

To take part in SID register your activity, use the free resources, and visit the Safer Internet Day Hub.  

Webwise is the online safety initiative of the Department of Education and co-funded by the European Commission. 

Webwise develops resources to help teachers integrate digital citizenship and online safety into teaching and learning in their schools. It also provides information, advice, and tools to parents to support their engagement in their children’s online lives.