About Us

The BeSmartOnline! Project has a mandate to establish a structured method of concertation. It is a national initiative that concerts the efforts of various national stakeholders working towards the establishment of a Safer Internet Centre in Malta.

This project is co-funded by the European Union through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and forms part of INSAFE and INHOPE – the European network of Safer Internet Centres and hotlines respectively, which aims at empowering and protecting children and teens online from risks associated with online activity, through numerous awareness raising initiatives and by fighting illegal and harmful content (particularly online child abuse) and behaviour online.

It is implemented through a consortium coordinated by the Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS) and brings together the Directorate for Learning and Assessment Programmes, the Office of the Commissioner for Children and the Malta Police Force - Cyber Crime Unit. The consortium is supported by the expertise and experience of a number of strategic partners’ who are members in the Advisory Board.

Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS)

The Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS) as the National Agency for children, families and the community, safeguards and promotes the well-being of these persons through the development and provision of psycho-social welfare services.

The Foundation for Social Welfare Services is running the Maltese Safer Internet Centre and apsrt from raising awareness on online safety with the other consortium members, it provides the services of the helpline and hotline.

Directorate for Learning and Assessment Programmes

• Personal, Social and Career Development (PSCD) enables children and youth to become healthy, independent and responsible members of society. Amongst other things, PSCD aims to:

• Help students understand their identity, their rights and their social responsibilities within the local and international community.

• Provide learners with opportunities to develop good communication skills, build healthy relationships and reflect on choices and decisions they have to make in relation to their health and sexuality, drugs, and the environment.

All these aspects relate to the use of the new technologies by children and youth therefore PSCD provides opportunities for them to learn, achieve and develop emotional literacy, self-confidence, self-worth and self-esteem. The subject also gives learners the opportunity to develop the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding to be able to live a healthy, safe, productive, and responsible life both online and offline.

The learning objectives related to internet use and safety within the syllabus, have been strengthened and given more impetus through the collaboration with the BeSmartOnline! consortium.

Commissioner for Children

The Office of the Commissioner for Children was set up in terms of the Commissioner for Children Act of 2003, to promote the welfare of children and the compliance with the UN Convention on the rights of the child, as ratified by Malta on the 26th of January 1990, and such other international treaties, conventions or agreements relating to children as are or may be ratified or otherwise acceded to by Malta.

The work carried out by the Office focuses on: the protection of children, the promotion of children’s rights, ensuring the provision of necessary services for children, and the participation of children. The office acts as a focal point which monitors the current social and cultural situation in relation to children, such that it can contribute substantially in the co-ordination that needs to take place across all sectors in order to have policies that are child oriented.

The Malta Police Force - Cyber Crime Unit

The Cyber Crime Unit is a specialised section within the Malta Police Force set-up in 2003. Its primary role is to provide technical assistance in the detection and investigations of crime wherein the computer is the target or the means used. The Cyber Crime Unit is made up of police officers who are trained in the investigation of crimes that take place over the internet or through the use of a computer.

Due to the internet’s global element, the Malta Police Force works closely with a number of international organisations and law enforcement agencies in an attempt to make the internet a safer experience for Maltese internet users.

Undoubtedly, child abuse taking place over the internet has never been overlooked by the Malta Police Force. Over the years, members of the Cyber Crime Unit, in conjunction with members from the Vice Squad, have participated in a number of efforts to curb such abuse. At times initiated by foreign law enforcement authorities, these investigations targeted Maltese residents who were allegedly in possession of child indecent material or were involved in child abuse taking place over the internet.

ADVISORY BOARD

The BeSmartOnline! consortium understands that cooperation is key to the successful implementation of the project. In view of this, an Advisory Board has been set up to act as a central channel of communication among stakeholders within the field of internet safety.

In addition, in an effort to be in a position to reach a wider number of stakeholders, national cooperation and dialogue will be promoted through three expertise-specific fora, which discuss specific topics as mandated by the Advisory Board. These members play an important consultative role due to their expertise or representation of specific interest groups. These fora will include; a psycho-social expert forum, an industry forum and a parent/carer forum.

International Partners

The goals and mission of the INHOPE Foundation are to financially sponsor and support start up activities of new hotlines outside of the European Union. They seek to expand the network of hotlines around the world, by prioritizing countries where Child Sexual Abuse Material is being facilitated, produced or distributed.

In order to reach these goals, the INHOPE Foundation seeks to raise funds from corporations, private citizens and other entities to use in the development of new Internet hotlines worldwide.

The INHOPE funding is utilized for the purpose of identifying potential national hotlines, developing regional training, coordination and implementation of best practices, standardization of reporting and analysis, as well as continuing a hotlines long-term development and education on the issue.

INHOPE’s up-to-date code of practice can be found here.

The mission of the Insafe cooperation network is to empower citizens to use the Internet, the mobile phone, as well as other online technologies, positively, safely and effectively. The network calls for shared responsibility for the protection of the rights and needs of citizens, in particular children and youngsters, by government, educators, parents, media, industry and all other relevant actors. Particular emphasis is given towards the elimination of child pornography.

Insafe partners work closely together to share best practice, information and resources. The network interacts with industry, schools and families in the aim of empowering people to bridge the digital divide between home and school and between generations.

Directorate for Learning and Assessment Programmes

Commissioner for Children

The Malta Police Force - Cyber Crime Unit

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