The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT, or TIC in Portuguese) has deeply changed the way people live – how they learn, interact, work and spend their spare time, either in their personal lives or in organizational contexts.

Besides all the benefits and possibilities of the ICT uses, namely, in one’s access to knowledge, in people-organization cooperation, social inclusion and wealth creation, it is deemed necessary to ensure (as in other means of interaction) that appropriate strategies and mechanisms are created to minimize the emergence of illegal or abusive situations that might arise with the use of these technologies.

In 1999, the European Commission launched the Safer Internet program, which was followed by Safer Internet Plus in 2005, with the purpose of rendering a more dynamic approach to the State Members’ promotion of the safe Internet use projects.

In 2004, concerning the Safer Internet program, the Direcção Geral de Inovação e Desenvolvimento Curricular , through the Equipa de Missão Computadores, Redes e Internet (DGIDC-CRIE) of the Ministry of Education developed the “Seguranet” project, to promote a safe and educated Internet use by Primary and Secondary School students.

One of the strategic goals of the “LigarPortugal” action program adopted by the Government in July, 2005, is to “Ensure a Private and Safe Internet Use”, more specifically, “to make sure that all, and families in particular, have the proper protection means from the risks of Internet use, as well as the appropriate information on how to use those means.”

The “Internet Segura” project helps this strategic goal come true. UMIC - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento is responsible for coordinating this project’s affiliates, comprised of DGCI-CRIE , the Fundação para a Computação Científica Nacional – FCCN and Microsoft Portugal.

After presenting this project’s application to the European Safer Internet Plus program for analysis and approval, the contract between the affiliates and the European Commision was signed in June, 2007.

Please click on the hyperlinks to know more about this project’s mission and vision , its strategy , the participating affiliates and the activities involved