Safer Internet Day takes place during an era of heavy AI usage amongst individuals of all ages. This year’s theme ‘Smart tech, safe choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI’ urges digital mindfulness in navigating AI and the volatile online environment. In order to uphold online safety, especially given the prevalence of voice assistants and chatbots, individuals need to acquire the technical skill of distinguishing authentic and AI-generated content.
Charlotte Wilson, head of enterprise at Check Point Software said this is an important moment for the focus on AI security.
“Safer Internet Day in 2026 comes at a pivotal moment, as AI shifts from a supporting technology to a default layer across the internet,” she explained. “AI now influences what people see, trust and act on online, which means online safety is no longer just about user behaviour; it’s about how securely and responsibly AI systems themselves are designed and used. We’re seeing cybercriminals weaponise AI to scale phishing, social engineering, and ransomware at machine speed, while at the same time users are unknowingly sharing sensitive information with generative AI tools.”
She added that “This is why cybersecurity must be AI-first and prevention-first. In an AI-driven world, reacting after an attack isn’t enough; safety must be built in from the start, supported by strong digital literacy and intelligent, automated threat prevention.”
KnowBe4 experts agree that careful and responsible AI usage should now be a core life skill as it is now a permanent fixture in the lives of children and young people.
Javvad Malik, lead CISO advisor at KnowBe4, said: “The explosive use of AI for deepfake photos, audio, and videos has made it more important than ever to be cautious about what we believe. Whether it’s an eager-to-please AI chatbot or a highly convincing social media scam, the best defense is to slow down and verify before acting.”
KnowBe4’s CISO Advisors’ Guidelines on Navigating the AI World Safely and Building Digital Resilience:
- Treat AI like an eager intern: AI’s intentions may be good but the information is not always right. Approach AI-generated information with healthy skepticism – ask for sources, sanity-check information involving money, safety or emotions with a trusted human or official site.
- Verify before you share: Social media algorithms often prioritize engagement over accuracy. Be aware of clickbaits and always double-check images or headlines before sharing them with your network.
- Guard your personal details: Restrict social media accounts to friends and family to limit data available for cyber attacks. AI tools allow bad actors to analyze public data to create personalized and believable scams.
- Practice digital mindfulness: Do one thing at a time to ensure safer online choices. Many attacks succeed not because of a lack of knowledge but because a user was distracted in the moment. Pay attention to online safety by proactively reviewing privacy settings, enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) and installing a password manager.
- Master the ‘Big Two’: Cyber exploits rely on tricking a human (social engineering) or exploiting unpatched software. Concentrate on learning how to not be tricked and ensure your software and firmware are patched in a timely manner.
- Adopt phishing-resistant MFA: Traditional passwords no longer suffice. Use phishing-resistant MFA to protect valuable data. When a password is required, use a password manager to create and use truly random passwords that are as long, complex and unique as possible for every site or service.
- The 25-character rule: If you need to create your own password, it needs to be 25 characters or longer. This length provides a critical buffer against modern-AI driven password cracking and emerging quantum threats.
Safer Internet Day 2026 serves as a reminder for individuals of all ages to reevaluate safety in the digital environment, given the widespread usage of AI. Navigating today’s modern digital landscape safely can be done by putting in place technical defences like MFA, coupled with behavioral changes such as digital mindfulness.
