Looking at how Safer Internet Day 2026 was celebrated in the UK

Tuesday 10th February saw the celebration of Safer Internet Day 2026 across the world. As organisers of the day here in the UK, it was absolutely incredible to see the range and variety of activities that took place right across the country.

The theme for this year’s Safer Internet Day in the UK was ‘Smart tech, safe choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI’. The campaign saw so many come together to help inspire a national conversation about using AI technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and safely.

Over 3,500 organisations across the UK delivered activities for the day, including schools, police forces, government, companies, football clubs, charities and others.

In the weeks leading up to and on the day itself, our educational resources were downloaded thousands of times and used in schools across the country. We also saw young people testing their knowledge with our interactive quizzes and gaining advice from our top tips.
At the heart of all the resources we created for the day was the message for young people to make safe choices when using or encountering AI online.

At the UK Safer Internet Day event in London, we saw young people from both primary and secondary schools run activity stations where they shared their thoughts on AI with industry representatives and policy makers. At this event, we also had a panel looking at the impact of AI on women and girls, and a keynote speech by a member of our Digital Champions.

We also took a group of young people to Parliament, where they had the opportunity to share their opinions and concerns about AI with members of Parliament.

For Safer Internet Day, we launched brand new research into young people’s experiences and worries about AI and this research was profiled on national TV and radio.

This research allowed us to get a better understanding of how young people are using AI, as well as the changes they want to see and worries they may have.

The impact of Safer Internet Day

We know that Safer Internet Day can have a hugely positive impact. As a result of the collective action last year, we reached over half of UK children and almost a third of UK parents and carers, with the majority going on to speak to their families about staying safe online and feeling more confident about what to do about any worries online.

As we compile the numbers, it’s too early to say how many we have reached this year, but we do know that together we will have achieved a real difference to the digital lives of children right across the UK.

From the many conversations, activities, and events that have been taking place, it’s clear that the day was such a success because of the collaborative efforts of everyone who came together to help create a better internet.