The Gateshead Millennium Bridge is expected to be illuminated purple on Thursday evening to mark the first Online Responsibility Day.
The national awareness campaign, organised by the Online Responsibility Network, is intended to encourage people, families and organisations to consider how their behaviour can help create safer and more respectful online communities.
Organisers said the landmark lighting would draw attention to harms including scams, abusive behaviour, privacy breaches, child-safety risks and misinformation.
A new national awareness day
Online Responsibility Day takes place on 24 September 2026. The campaign asks a central question: what kind of online citizens do people choose to be, and how do their actions affect others?
The Online Responsibility Network says responsibility is shared between individuals and the platforms and organisations that shape digital spaces. Building safer services is one part of the response, while users also have a role in protecting personal information, reporting suspicious activity and considering the effect of their words.
The campaign is encouraging people to carry out three checks covering their accounts, the content appearing in their feeds and the protections offered by the platforms and services they use.
For children and young people, the organiser's guidance includes protecting identity and personal information, recognising suspicious activity, reporting harmful material and understanding the lasting impact of a digital footprint.
Parents and carers are being encouraged to talk openly about online experiences and to demand better protections from technology companies. Businesses are also being asked to demonstrate responsible innovation and explain the steps they take to support users.
Gateshead landmark joins campaign
The planned purple illumination will make the Gateshead Millennium Bridge one of the most visible local symbols of the awareness day. The bridge spans the River Tyne between Gateshead Quays and Newcastle's Quayside and is regularly used to highlight national and community campaigns.
Amanda Manning, director of the Online Responsibility Network, said the day was designed to start a wider conversation about the choices made by individuals, organisations and online services.
Further information and campaign resources are available on the official Online Responsibility Day website.
The planned Gateshead Millennium Bridge lighting was announced by the campaign organisers in a media release. The awareness day and its public guidance were checked against the organiser's official website.
