The Australian Federal Police has urged parents to “have the talk” with their child before the 2024 school year kicks off.
But it isn’t the birds and the bees the AFP is referring to, it’s about online safety, online grooming and inappropriate contact online.
Conversation points appropriate for various age groups were published on Thursday, prompting parents to introduce online safety to children under the age of five, and explore safe online behaviours with children and young teenagers.
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The school year comes with additional access to smart devices, introduction to new online games, and increased pressure to engage with social media.
New AFP research reveals 87 per cent of children aged between four and seven years old are using the internet, and almost one in every five of those are using it unsupervised.
Only three per cent of the AFP research participants listed online grooming as a concern.
“We know about 52 per cent of parents and carers talk to their children about online safety, which includes topics like online grooming and inappropriate contact online, but we are aiming to increase this in 2024,” AFP Commander Helen Schneider said.
Age-appropriate resources can be located in full via the AFP’s ThinkUKnow website.
But a basic break down for several age groups, including what should first be introduced when teaching children about the internet, the types of online environments they are exposed to, and protections parents can put in place, were shared by the AFP on Thursday.
Under five years old
“It is never too early to start teaching your child about online safety. Have these conversations as early as possible in an age-appropriate way,” AFP said.
- Children in this age group are likely to be playing games and watching videos online.
- Introduce and talk about what the internet is, and how it allows us to connect with other people. This could be something like: “My phone is connected to the internet and I can send a photo from my phone to grandpa’s phone”
- Supervision online is always recommended for young children. This looks different for every family, but it is important to be aware of what your child is doing online in case they need your help.
- Implement strong privacy settings and consider parental controls on the devices your child uses. This can give you more control over what they do online, and limit the possibility of interaction with others.
- Encourage your child to go to you if they see anything online that makes them scared or uncomfortable.
Between five years old and 12 years old
“For this age group, continue building on the foundations of online safety,” AFP said.
- Children in this age group are likely to be using the internet more, playing online games and watching videos. They may also be messaging with friends from school or family.
- Research what apps, websites and games your child is using. Be aware of any that have a chat function that allows them to communicate with other people.
- If you need to know more about an online game, one tip is to search online for videos of gameplay to get an idea of what it looks like and how it works.
- Supervision is always recommended, and looks different for different families. Consider what works best for your child and your family circumstances.
- Have open conversations with your child about what they do online, who they talk to and that if something goes wrong, they can go to you for help.
- Implement privacy settings and parental controls, but balance this with regular check-ins and encourage critical thinking while online.
13 years and over
“While older children may want to use their devices independently and want more privacy around their relationships and online interactions, it is still important to be engaged in their online activities,” AFP said.
- Young people in this age group are likely to be playing online games, watching videos and using social networking platforms to interact with friends.
- Learn about the features of the apps, games and sites your child uses and the safety challenges so you can talk to them about implementing safety measures to keep them safe online.
- Encourage “friends only” or “private” security settings.
- If your child has public social media accounts, be aware of the privacy challenges and encourage your child to think critically about information sharing.
- Your level of supervision or oversight may vary across this age group; however, you should always stay in touch with what your child is doing online and encourage them to come to you for help and support.
- Encourage your child to recognise safe or unsafe situations and inappropriate contact. This can empower them to make informed decisions, including when they are in unsupervised environments.