The Safer Internet Day event was organized under the auspices of the Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK). Held under the main theme of "Together for a Better Internet," the event was attended by Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, AK Party Head of Information and Communication Technologies Ömer İleri, Minister of Public Works and Transport of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Erhan Arıklı, and BTK President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu.
In his opening speech at the event, Minister Uraloğlu stated that the secure transmission of information from reliable sources is on the agenda of every state and society. Uraloğlu emphasized that we live in an era where access to information is effortless, but at the same time, humanity has become more vulnerable to manipulation and disinformation than ever before.
Underlining that the internet has changed and transformed habits and necessities especially over the last 25 years, Uraloğlu said, "Mobile devices with internet connectivity are at the center of our lives. This new era, which carries risks and threats for individual users, has added value to our lives with systems that provide uninterrupted internet 24/7."
Don't Leave Our Children and Youth Alone in the Internet World
Emphasizing that over the last few years, the internet has ceased to be just a means or tool used when needed, Uraloğlu said, "The emergence of the internet as a new cultural space, reality, freedom zone, and economic market has also led to changes in global values and habits. The 'values' of our youth, who spend a large part of their time on the internet, are no longer determined solely by their families or people around them. Unfortunately, the internet shapes culture through social media networks. Therefore, just as a parent needs to know where their child is and who they are with outside the home, leaving children unchecked in the digital world can lead to dangerous consequences. I call on all parents: Do not leave our children and youth alone in the vast and boundless environment of the internet. Keep them away from the evils of the digital realm with various protection and security methods. Learning and applying ways to use the internet safely is everyone's responsibility."
Minister Uraloğlu stated that the average daily internet usage time is 6 hours and 40 minutes worldwide, while in Turkey it is 6 hours and 57 minutes, approximately 7 hours. Noting that social media usage time is 2 hours and 23 minutes worldwide and 2 hours and 44 minutes in Turkey, nearly 3 hours, Uraloğlu said, "Therefore, this area must never be left vacant and should be addressed with utmost seriousness. Through Safer Internet Day, our ministry aims to raise awareness among citizens on ways to stay safe in the digital world."
Education Provided to 2,500 Students in the Earthquake Region
Stating that one of the problems encountered on digital platforms is information pollution, Uraloğlu expressed the need for conscious use of the internet and social media platforms and the development of digital literacy skills.
Pointing out that many digital risks such as cyberbullying, online exploitation of children, and social media and gaming addiction threaten children and youth, Uraloğlu said, "To counter these dangers, we established the Safer Internet Center under BTK in 2016. In 2023, with 167 trainings and seminars conducted at our center, we provided 'Conscious and Safe Internet Use' training to approximately 26,000 people. Thus, over the last 5 years, we have reached 116,000 people through 824 trainings and seminars."
Uraloğlu noted that with the "Internet Help Center," they provide solution suggestions to users' problems encountered in internet environments within the scope of conscious, safe, and effective internet use. Highlighting that problems in digital environments are resolved through the "ALO 141 Internet Information Support Line," Minister Uraloğlu said, "As of 2023, we have responded to more than 70,000 calls. The Safe Mobile Internet Truck, launched in 2017, went to the earthquake regions after the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes and provided robotics coding training to 2,500 students aged 7-13 in tent cities in Adıyaman and Hatay provinces."
Stating that approximately 40 million subscribers voluntarily benefit from BTK's free safe internet service, Uraloğlu emphasized that providing a clean and safe digital world to all citizens is among their most important goals, and they will continue all efforts to achieve this.
USOM Blocked 66 Million Malicious Requests Last Week
Uraloğlu drew attention to the fact that cyber security is of great importance along with the opportunities and challenges brought by digital transformation. Stating that the ministry focuses on ensuring security in the digital field in the country, Minister Uraloğlu said, “More than 1 million cyber attacks occur worldwide every year. This means a cyber attack nearly every 39 seconds. It is estimated that cybercrime costs exceeded 8 trillion dollars worldwide in 2023. By establishing national and international collaborations in cyber security, we conduct effective struggles against cyber threats. If our National Cyber Incident Response Center (USOM) had not blocked more than 314,000 malicious links with our domestic software to date, our citizens would have been targeted by nearly 66 million malicious requests just last week."
Touching on the fact that children and youth face various digital health problems due to the influence of digital media environments, Uraloğlu stated that Safer Internet Day offers opportunities to raise awareness for safe and healthy internet use.
Minister Uraloğlu concluded his speech by saying, "We should see this day as a starting point and make efforts for safe internet use. By acting together, we can benefit from the opportunities offered by the internet and build a safe digital future."
Awareness is Increased with the Safer Internet Center
In his speech at the event, BTK President Ömer Abdullah Karagözoğlu said, “The internet, one of the information technologies, has become an important part of people's lives today, is used by many people from all income and age groups, and appears before us as a technology whose access is increasing day by day. Beyond being a part of our lives in every area, the internet has turned the world into a tiny village. Everything we want to reach now fits into the phones in our pockets.”
Karagözoğlu said, “With the widespread use of the internet, social sharing networks, which are the most important tool of communication over the internet, provide individuals with opportunities to share information, thoughts, interests, and knowledge, creating a mutual interaction environment, while at the same time, its unconscious use poses a danger to individuals of all ages, especially children and youth. For this reason, we see that in many countries, including ours, regulatory institutions, access providers, content and place providers show sensitivity and conduct joint studies to protect children and youth from harmful content on the internet.”
Emphasizing that the internet should be remembered for its benefits rather than its harms, and that this is possible with the increase of individuals with personal digital awareness, Karagözoğlu concluded his speech by saying, “Dangers such as digital bullying, online exploitation, and digital addiction threaten especially our children and youth; issues like fake news and disinformation, digital privacy, and information security concern the entire society. Increasing the awareness of children, youth, and families not only about the harmful aspects of the internet but also about the opportunities it brings is among our primary goals with the 'Safer Internet Center' under our institution.”