By Kyle , Becky and Jack
On the 11th February 2020, people around the world took part in Safer Internet Day with the aim being to empower people to use the Internet in a safe and positive way.
Schools and colleges in and around Bolton used this day to introduce, and explore, issues around online identity and representation.
We, as Chai Times’ reporters, have discussed and debated the importance of diversity and representation in our newsfeeds. We aim to celebrate our differences and encourage others to be more welcoming, inclusive and accepting of everyone, both online and offline.
We conducted a survey at our college (LifeBridge ASEND) to find out the responses to the following key questions:
1 .Is everyone fairly represented online?
2. Are people free to be who they are online?
It was interesting to discover that 78% of students felt that not everyone in society is fairly represented online. 50% felt they weren’t free to be themselves.
By encouraging everyone to think about equality and diversity online, we can create a world where the internet is a place where everybody feels FREE:
Fairly treated, Represented, Equal, Empowered