Cyber Safety – the biggest risk to our kids

We hear a lot about cyber safety and what we can do to support our families, and yet this continues to significantly impact all communities across Australia.  In 2018, due to the concerns regarding sedentary lifestyles in Australian children, The Australian Government, Department of Health and Aged Care, developed the ‘Being Active’ Guidelines for Children and Young People (5 to 17 years), which outlines what we should expect of a healthy day, every day for every child and young person in this age bracket.  I encourage all parents to click on the link, and have a read of what we should expect from each of our school aged children every day. Importantly, we should limit sedentary recreational screen time to no more than 2 hours a day. 

This is a challenge to us all. My boys love a game on the Nintendo and are a little obsessed with NRL.  There are many Saturdays when we watch lots of footy which goes over the 2 hours per day.  This will happen from time to time, though we always make sure our kids are engaged with local sports and clubs like cricket, soccer, swimming, basketball and tennis, have lots of play afternoons with friends where they run around playing a variety of games with no screens, engaging with family and friends, taking walks around Toowoomba hiking trials or the Bunyas, and pottering about with the dog, chooks or in the garden. On the holidays, we always make time to be somewhere without technology to give our kids a detox.  For us, this is camping.  It’s a great way to break bad digital habits for parents and kids alike and spend some quality time in conversation with one another without our devices. 

When our kids are on screens, which is the reality for most families, we need to make sure they are safe.  There are a few key considerations when determining safe digital platforms for our kids to engage in.  A great place for us to start is the following:

• Social Media: This is where most bullying now happens for school aged students.  This is where the power in the social structures of youth begins.  This can also be poorly monitored by parents as they think their children are responsible users of technology.  In reality it is much the same as handing a child a rifle and ammunition and expecting them to do no harm without teaching them how to use it.  I know that sounds ridiculous, though so does much of what we deal with at a school level that comes from social media.  Most teenagers have multiple snapchat accounts, one their parents can see and many they can’t, they engage in private rooms, and hide documents, photos and communication.  Remember, these apps aren’t designed to be safe for children, they are designed to be popular and meet the needs and wants of the children. 
• Devices and Access: No device is secure - it is the network that it connects to, or the security software installed that provides the safety. If your internet isn’t restricted and firewalled, or the device doesn’t have specific security software, then your child can access limitless inappropriate content.  This is especially concerning regarding mobile phones.  Don’t assume your child won’t access inappropriate content, make it that they can’t.
• Online gaming: One of the most dangerous places your child can be at any time is in an unmonitored online game like Roblox or Fortnite. These platforms are where most sexual harassment, cybersex, paedophile attacks and grooming take place.  While I am no expert in this space as my children don’t play online games at home, I am very concerned about all students who do play online games without explicit and direct monitoring by parents. Please don’t assume your child is safe. If your child plays Roblox (its an online only game), I encourage you to read the following: Is Roblox Safe for Kids

Please take the time to do some research about what your child accesses on their devices at home, and lean towards family screen time, such as watching sport or a movie together, rather than engaging in risky behaviours like online gaming.  What’s more important is to develop a healthy lifestyle where our young people choose to be outside and active rather than being inside and sedentary.  Make some time in your calendar to take the kids to the netball courts or leaguesy, build some lego, go fishing, do some dancing or go for a walk.  If we don’t make time for it, we simply won’t prioritise it, and then not do it.  Make a promise, stick to it and get active with your kids.  Its also a great way to open up conversation about what’s important in their lives.

Mr Peter Cuskelly

Principal