At a time when the risk of online abuse has never seemed higher, organisations are being encouraged to prepare for Safer Internet Day, and promote online safety for children.
Safer Internet Day, on 8 February 2022, brings together organisations from 170 countries around the world to promote online safety, particularly among children and young people.
This Safer Internet Day, the Australian eSafety Commissioner is calling on everyone to play it safe and fair online.
eSafety Commissioner Safer Internet Day website
With the focus on online safety for children and young people, the eSafety Commissioner has provided many resources and tools to support educators this Safer Internet Day. For example, there are surveys for different aged students to assess their understanding of online safety, and ideas for activities where students can take the lead in online safety – reflecting the central theme of empowerment in the 2022 Child Safe Standards in Victoria.
The eSafety Commissioner’s powers were also recently expanded to tackle child sex abuse and cyber bullying.
Empowerment
Victoria’s new Child Safe Standard 9, which will take effect on 1 July 2022, requires organisations working with children to teach digital citizenship and digital and media literacy to support critical thinking and civic engagement. Organisations that work with children are also encouraged to engage with children to identify risks and get their input on how the organisation can improve its online environment.
In addition, there is a new positive obligation on organisations, such as schools and youth programs, to ensure all environments promote child safety and wellbeing. This increases the standard from mitigating risk. All environments includes the digital environment.
Balancing safety and empowerment
Staff and volunteers at organisations that work with children must identify and mitigate risks in online and physical environments without compromising a child’s right to privacy, access to information, social connections and learning opportunities.
Teaching online safety techniques can empower children and young people to protect themselves online – and play it safe – while reducing the need for adults to closely monitor online behaviour. This ensures children have both their right to safety, and their rights to privacy and access to information, maintained.
How we can help
Our child safety and education teams can offer training and provide tailored internal resources to empower staff to understand risks facing children online, meet the new 2022 Child Safe Standards and in turn teach online safety to children in their care.
Contact us
Please contact us for more detailed and tailored help.
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