Online safety

As parents, we understand that navigating the digital world can be as challenging for us as it is for our children. With the ever-present role of digital technologies in our kids' lives, it's crucial to have open and honest conversations with them, particularly concerning their online encounters, which might include explicit content like pornography.

We want to equip you with helpful guidance to initiate and carry on these critical conversations, tailored to your child's unique traits—their interests, personality, and level of understanding. Here are some essentials to bear in mind:

• Encountering explicit material, such as pornography, or being pressured into sharing personal images, can be distressing and potentially damaging for children and young adults.
• Frequent, age-appropriate dialogues about their digital experiences can foster a trusting environment, encouraging them to approach you with their concerns and questions. Responding with calmness and honesty is key to maintaining this trusted conduit for support in the future.
• Kickstart discussions centred on their digital activities and interests. Integrate topics like respectful relationships and the meaning of consent to provide them with a balanced perspective, countering the concerning narratives they may confront online.

For more resources and detailed information, the eSafety Commissioner's website offers a wealth of knowledge specifically tailored to support you in this journey. Leverage their resources to bolster your approach to keeping your children informed, protected, and safe from harm as they navigate their online worlds.

Top ten discussion points for staying safe with social media at Schoolies

1. Remind them to think before they share.
2. Talk to them about their digital footprint—would they be okay if a future employer saw the post?
3. Help them to set their profile to ‘private’ or ‘friends only’ and explain they should only accept friend requests from people they know and trust.
4. Tell them to make an agreement with their friends that consent must be given by all parties before uploading and/or tagging a photos and videos.
5. Help them with their privacy settings so they can review photo tags before they appear on their profile and friends’ newsfeeds.
6. Remind them that they could be filmed or photographed at any time. Schoolies have been charged after their stupid behaviour was caught on camera, so be responsible and aware.
7. Filming crimes or assaults to promote online could see your teen facing charges, heavy fines, or a criminal conviction.
8. Sending a sext to someone who does not wish to receive it is illegal. If a sext makes your teen feel uncomfortable, advise them they can report it via the eSafety Commissioner website.
9. Image-based abuse (revenge porn) is when intimate, nude, or sexual images are distributed without the consent of those pictured. Image-based abuse is never okay and if your teen witnesses or is personally affected, it should be reported.

For more information, check out the ThinkUKnow or eSafety Commissioner websites for more information.