The foundations of safe internet use are primarily shaped at home, through open communication between parents and children, jointly agreed rules and consistent parental example, Hungary’s National Media and Infocommunications Authority (NMHH) said in a statement issued on Tuesday to mark Safer Internet Day. Observed on 10 February, the international awareness day encourages more conscious and responsible online behaviour in more than 160 countries worldwide.
According to the NMHH, digital devices and social media platforms are appearing earlier and earlier in children’s lives. Its latest Digital Parenting research shows that most Hungarian children already have a smartphone by the age of ten, while many create their own social media profiles by the age of 11.
The challenges of digital parenting are also explored in a new book by NMHH president András Koltay and media law expert Gergely Ferenc Lendvai. As the authors note, whereas ‘it once took a whole village to raise a child, today it is the entire internet’.
In response to these trends, more and more parents rely on filtering software to protect their children online. However, the authority stressed that prevention can be more effective when families jointly discuss and establish the basic rules of internet use. To support this, the NMHH has developed a free and easy-to-complete digital house rules template, along with a practical guide, available on the onlinehosok.hu website.
The digital house rules go beyond technical restrictions, serving as a practical compass for everyday family life by helping define screen time limits and the types of content that are acceptable. The authority emphasized that children should be involved in setting these rules, as this increases their sense of ownership and makes them more likely to follow them. Creating digital balance, the statement added, does not mean excluding screens entirely, but finding healthy proportions.
The NMHH also offers support when problems have already occurred. Victims of online abuse can turn to the authority’s Internet Hotline legal assistance service, which provides fast and free help in dealing with harmful online situations. Anyone can submit a report to the hotline regardless of age, and even anonymously.
To mark Safer Internet Day, the NMHH has launched new partnerships with popular figures in the online space. YouTuber Pamkutya, also known as Norbert Osbáth, has previously supported the Internet Hotline by warning viewers about online scams and explaining how victims can seek help. He is now releasing a new video focusing on online risks and opportunities, with several other well-known influencers set to join the initiative. Many of them are parents themselves and will share personal experiences of navigating digital challenges, complemented by expert guidance from the NMHH.
The authority reaffirmed its commitment to promoting more conscious internet use through information materials, programmes and professional cooperation alongside its regulatory duties. Safer Internet Day, the statement concluded, provides a valuable opportunity to reflect together on the challenges of the online world and to work towards making the internet a useful, trustworthy and value-creating space for everyone.
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