Over a thousand students in the Sinopoli room of the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, e 230 thousand streaming on the day of Safer Internet Day for the presentation of the sixth volume of the project #coriconnessi, initiative born in 2016 against the bullying and cyberbullying from a collaboration between Unieaurone of the largest Italian consumer electronics and appliance chains, and the State police.
“We live a moment of digital difficulty, because digital evolution runs at a frightening speed and we have a duty to keep up with the times”, highlighted the police chief, Vittorio Pisani, intervened at the event. The prefect also made an appeal to teachers, so that the children can be understood “that the digital world must be a tool and prevent them from becoming their tools of the digital world” and you have to make young people understand “which is also nice to live offline” .
The project “Connected hearts” aimed at the students “was born against cyberbullying, but perhaps it must evolve in favor of something, that is, of responsible behavior and to intercept the problems of the boys using awareness”, added the Country Manager Italy of Unieuro, Maria Bruna Olivieri, “Often online lightness are committed that become boulders in real life, we believe that the project will evolve into a different language”.
There are eight stories and testimonies contained in the volume presented on Tuesday and available for free in the Unieuro and ebook stores on the project website.
«In 2024 there were about 319 the cases reported and attacked by the Postal Police, In particular with reference to the phenomena of bullying and cyberbullying, increasing compared to last year, concentrated above all in some age groups, 14-17, but with an important increase between 10 and 13 years “, then recalled the undersecretary inside, Nicola Molteni.
«When we are facing our smartphone we must slow down and understand that my digital identity, my photos, my data are mine – is then the invitation of the director of the Postal Police Service Ivano Gabrielli – Not taking care of it means exposing me to those who at that moment in the net can do anything. We must respect the images of others, of the people next to us – he added – It must be understood that our individual freedom today has one more component and is cybernetic, virtual but produces real effects».
The project was born in 2016 in partnership with the State Police and this, he explains Marco Titi, Unieuro marketing director who followed the initiative from the beginning, “It is the added value because it allows us to be present in the area and hook as many people as possible».
Titi explains the reason that pushed Unieuro to carry on this initiative: “Every leading company in their sector must think of the business, of course, but must at the same time be present in society trying to be able to pierce the values of their brand. We sell technology that constantly evolves and keeping up is not easy. Digital technology can build bridges or raise walls as in the case of the phenomenon of cyberbullying. A technology without a heart, I would say, is harmful to people and a company that deals with this must raise awareness of this crucial theme for everyone, in particular teenagers and young people “.
From left, The police chief Vittorio Pisani, the country manager of Unieuro Italia, Maria Bruna Olivieri and the undersecretary inside, Nicola Molteni
Marco Titi, Marketing Director Unieuro
Among the most significant interventions during the Rome event, by video -up of cream, that of Father Paolo Benanti, President of the Commission AI for the information and councilor of Pope Francis on the themes of artificial intelligence and the ethics of technology, which has emphasized the new opportunities, but also the new pitfalls of the AI, which this year is also at the center of one of the stories of the new volume.
Protagonist of the day too Riccardo Aldighieri, YouTuber and Tiktaker of the year 2024, followed by over 4.3 million followers, who defines himself as “disabled trap” and who proudly told how he managed to transform his disability into the strength of his existence, against all stereotypes and all haters. “My disability,” he said, “I don’t define me, I am simply Riccardo. And thanks to social networks, I can tell myself for what they are».
Ample space was also dedicated to the theme of the re -socialization and re -education of minor authors of online crimes, with the projection of the trailer of It’s not worth itthe docufilm available for all Italian schools on the project website.
In Videocolization from Reggio Calabria the prosecutor Roberto Placido of Palma that reiterated the importance of the “testing” path.
“The strength of” connected hearts “”, adds Titi, “lies in the ability to have reached over 900 thousand students in recent years on the occasion of the Etheror Safer Day and to have a dedicated online platform with various initiatives: From the ebook that collects the true stories of those who remained the victim of cyberbullying and managed, in many cases, to get out of it, to the series of docufilm that collect the testimonies of parents, teachers and state police. In recent years we have tried to deepen, to get to know and prevent the evolution of the various forms of cyberbullying, from the Sexting to the Revenge Porn, exploring negative and positive stories and building greater awareness of families and among educators. The stories – one of which, for example, we have transformed it into a comic – allow us to communicate directly and effectively with the boys While the presence of the State Police is decisive to understand how the phenomenon evolves and support their work whose approach not of repression but is oriented towards understanding, being able to understand, enter a dialogue “. The project also became didactic material for schools with three handouts used by teachers in the classroom.
And in the future? “Connected hearts”, concludes Titi, “will remain faithful to its mission to continue reflecting on the changes imposed by technological evolution, warning against dangers using an always innovative language and above all to continue to team up between families, children, educators and institutions ».
