The project, led by INCIBE, under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, through the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, aims to continue, expand and strengthen, until February 28, 2024, the actions of the Internet Safety Center for minors in Spain, Internet Segura For Kids (IS4K), together with 12 other national partners that make up the SIC-Spain 3.0 consortium.

This project is co-financed by the European Union through the EUROPA DIGITAL funding program, in the call DIGITAL 2021- TRUST 01, with a budget of almost 3 million euros. It should be noted, that although the advanced implementation started in March 2022, SIC-SPAIN 3.0(Safer Internet Centre Spain 3.0) has recently signed the grant agreement.

These initiatives seek to train and protect minors for a safe and responsible use of the Internet, through the development of awareness and training initiatives for children and young people themselves, but also for their reference environments (families, educators and professionals in the field of minors). In addition to this, advice is provided through a free and confidential helpline, as well as an online child sexual abuse content reporting line (CSAM), in addition to the celebration of the annual Safer Internet Day and the promotion of a panel of young people who actively participate in improving cybersecurity in children and youth.

SIC-SPAIN 3.0 gives continuity to previous projects since 2016, linked to the Internet Security Center which is focused on three objectives:

1. Continuity and reinforcement of training services: awareness and training, helpline and CSAM whistleblower channel.
2. Continuation of a public-private consortium of key actors to improve coordination and increase impact at the national level.
3. Strengthen Spain's presence in working groups and forums on childhood and Internet safety, in the pan-European INSAFE network and in the international INHOPE network.

Consortium

Built on a public-private approach, the SIC-SPAIN 3.0 consortium is made up of 13 partners:

• INCIBE (Coordinator),
• Ministry of the Interior,
• Communication Users Association,
• Swamped,
• Fundación Cibervoluntarios,
• Gaptain,
• ICmedia,
• Fundación Aprender a Mirar and its affiliated organization Associació de Consumidors de Mitjans, Audiovisuals de Catalunya,
• PantallasAmigas,
• Children's Platform,
• Complutense University of Madrid,
• University of the Basque Country / Euskal Herriko Universitatea,
• King Juan Carlos University.

SIC-SPAIN 3.0 will carry out new diagnostics, continue to involve youth platforms and create awareness and training programs for children, parents and educators. The consortium will strengthen and establish new relationships and promote a dialogue at national level with key actors for the coordination and deployment of these actions by different entities focused on awareness, as well as the development of tools for a safer Internet for minors.

Collaborations

The project also has the collaboration of the National Institute of Educational Technologies and Teacher Training (INTEF), under the Ministry of Education who, as a strategic partner of INCIBE, collaborates in the development of initiatives aimed at the educational community for the development of digital skills in cybersecurity and digital confidence.

In addition, the Guardia Civil, under the Ministry of the Interior, will actively participate as a project partner and in coordination with the Spanish SIC in the consolidation of the reporting line and in awareness-raising activities. An online course for police officers will also be developed jointly with the Ministry of the Interior within the framework of the 'Master Plan for Coexistence and Improvement of Security in Educational Centers and their Environment'.

The operations of the helpline, as well as the reporting line, will guide the design of specific awareness campaigns and contribute to the capacity building of the European Strategy: Better Internet for Kids (BIK).