Forum empowers parents with tools to protect children online

NAVIGATING online spaces safely was the focus of a forum held at Clifton Springs Primary School earlier this week.

Hosted by Corangamite federal member Libby Coker and Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland, the forum aimed to arm families with practical strategies to help protect children from online harms, such as cyberbullying and unwanted contact, and prepare them for the “best and worst” of social media.

Ms Coker said recent cases of online bullying and harassment highlighted the importance of promoting a safe environment for children online.

“The digital age has brought with it many new opportunities, but it also has increased the risk of online threats, especially to children.

“The Australian eSafety Commissioner is responsible for ensuring that all Australians have positive experiences online.”

The event featured a presentation by eSafety Commission senior education trainer Greg Gebhart, who spoke about the role of the commission, the emergence of new forms of cyberbullying and shared insights into the online platforms commonly accessed by children.

He encouraged attendees to be aware and build an understanding of the online spaces their children inhabit, speak regularly with their children about their experiences online and listen with an open mind to their children’s concerns about those spaces.

“You don’t need to be a technology expert, you just need to have conversations with your children,” he said.

He also explained that while ready to investigate and act on instances of online harm, the commission itself relies on the community to report those occurrences.

Ms Rowland said one of the best things about having an online regulator in e-safety was the wealth of age-appropriate resources that have been made available to children, adults and families seeking to learn more about navigating online spaces safely.

“We’re onto our second generation now of digital natives and being a mum myself with two young daughters, [it’s] sometimes overwhelming when you think about the types of content that they could be exposed to.”

But she said it was also important for parents to understand that children make a lot of connections and achieve a lot of learning online as well.

“Don’t feel overwhelmed, and if there is a problem, you can report it and [the] eSafety [Commissioner] is very skilled in this area now and they’re well-equipped.

“We made sure in our budget that we quadrupled their ongoing base funding, so they’re able to do their job well, and at the same time, the government is very committed to making sure our laws keep pace with technology.

“I think the key thing for young people is if something goes wrong, they’re not alone… It’s really trying to give some reassurance to children as well that there’s safe places for them and there’s techniques they can use.”

For more information, to access a suite of online resources to help keep kids safe online, or to report instances of online harm, head to esafety.gov.au