Keeping Our Children Safe Online
Do you know what your children are accessing online? Do you know the platforms on which they have accounts and regularly engage?
8/5/20253 min read
As social media becomes increasingly prevalent in our lives and in the lives of our children, ongoing discussions about online safety and support options available are crucial. Do you know what your children are accessing online? Do you know the platforms on which they have accounts and regularly engage?
As a parent or guardian, it’s essential to establish a line of trust and communication with our children around safe practices online. The intention is not to overwhelm them with strict controls but to establish a norm of discussing what they’re coming across online and how it makes them feel. If they come across distressing content, are targeted by online harassment / bullying, interact with possible scammers - do they know who to go to for support? Are they worried that they may ‘get in trouble’ by sharing these concerns with you or other adults within their support network (such as teachers or extended family)? This can discourage them from seeking help when they need it.
Proactively discussing online safety with our children and how to seek support empowers them to not only protect themselves online, but to extend this education to their peers who might not be being engaged in these discussions at home. This also provides them with a foundational understanding that will continue to benefit them in the future as this skillset is highly valuable in workplaces.
Naturally this leads us to consider exactly how we can support our children? Here are a few suggestions;
Encourage your children to review, or peer review, their social media posts before publishing. Considerations here include; are there any personal details showing? Is a school uniform or emblem visible? Does everyone in the post consent to it being published?
For example, an innocent selfie with the family dog could unknowingly disclose your phone number and/or address from a visible collar tag.
Consider the terms of service of social media platforms, specifically looking at the minimum age. Banning your child from a platform may seem ideal but they will often find alternate means of accessing these which could leave them more vulnerable without your awareness. Alternatively, consider managing your child’s social media platforms collaboratively with them.
Check privacy settings on all accounts. Specifically look for settings related to profile visibility, how users can find their profile (such as searching with a phone number or email address), and who can message, follow or make friend requests.
For example, Instagram has an option for your profile to be private which prevents users who aren’t approved followers of the account from being able to see posts or stories.
Have you heard of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024?
Rolling out towards the end of 2025, this bill mandates 16 years and over as the minimum age for access to social media platforms. Australians under the age of 16 will be unable to have an account in their own right on platforms that enable online social interaction between 2 or more users as their primary or sole purpose (Australian Government, 2024). This also applies to existing accounts. These platforms will likely require some form of age assurance to comply with this bill.
While it’s great to see government policies implemented with the intention of mitigating harm to our children online, we may see an unintended effect of encouraging them to find alternative means of accessing these platforms (such as through the use of a Virtual Private Network / VPN to appear to be accessing from another country that doesn’t have these requirements). This emphasises the importance of developing trust and ongoing communication with our children about this topic.
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Free Resources and Recommended Reading:
References:
Australian Government. (2024). Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 – Fact Sheet. Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts. https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/social-media-minimum-age-and-age-assurance-trial-fact-sheet.pdf
