Online safety

Cybersafety help button download page <www.dbcde.gov.au/helpbutton>

The Help Button provides internet users, particularly young people, with a "one stop shop" for cybersafety information and assistance. Once downloaded, the Button sits on the desktop or in the tool bar. When double clicked, the Button allows users to talk, report or learn about cybersafety issues such as cyberbullying, scams and fraud, and unwanted contact. There are links to KidsHelpLine, Scam Watch, AFP, and ACMA where you can report prohibited or inappropriate online material. Educational resources include links to the Cybersmart and Stay Smart Online websites.

Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM)—Promoting healthy choices and stronger voices in children’s media <www.youngmedia.org.au/>

An excellent source of up-to-date information about media and children, for parents and caregivers, professionals, students and researchers. The information is drawn from worldwide research studies, current literature, surveys, statistics and other verifiable authenticated sources of information. Contact numbers and helplines are provided to report breaches of Internet security or to procure advice about appropriate action to take.

Australian Government Resources Hub <australia.gov.au/topics/it-and-communications/internet>

A central resource from the Australian Government which includes a range of links to sites and organisations that are devoted to Internet safety.

Budd:e <www.staysmartonline.gov.au/schools_and_teachers>

An award winning cybersecurity education package with fun and challenging interactive games that help Australian schools students stay safe and secure online. The package comprises self-learning modules for primary and secondary students, as well as resources for teachers and parents.

CyberSmart—Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) <www.cybersmart.gov.au/>

Cybersmart provides activities, resources and practical advice to help young kids, kids, teens and parents safely enjoy the online world. The links contain audio-visual materials, tips and links to a wide range of resources.

CyberSmart Detectives—Online game to teach children Internet safety messages <cybersmart.engagelive.net/default.aspx>

Children are able to interact in real time with ACMA approved Internet safety experts working in “virtual control rooms” located throughout Australia. Guides are available throughout the sessions to answer questions and give advice, while additional resource materials and follow-up activities are provided to reinforce the Internet safety message.

CyberNetrix (Ages 13–16)—Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) <www.cybersmart.gov.au/cybernetrix/index.html>

CyberNetrix is another of ACMA’s interactive online safety tools aimed at protecting secondary school students. While the students themselves can interact with the program, the teacher guide includes an additional 11 downloadable activities for students.

CyberQuoll (Ages 8–12)—Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) <www.cybersmart.gov.au/cyberquoll/index.html>

CyberQuoll is an Internet safety resource to assist in protecting upper primary school students. The site is about the Internet and bullying, scams and hoaxes, netiquette and dodgy content on Internet sites and is recommended for use by students, teachers and parents.

CyberSmart: Wise up to IT—Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) <www.cybersmart.gov.au/wiseuptoit/>

Four young people tell their stories about cyberbullying, online stalking, Internet security and online grooming. Their stories explain what happened and how they dealt with the situation. The accompanying video clips prompt users to think about who they are really chatting to online, what personal information they are posting and whether or not their computer is protected from scams and spyware.

High Tech Crime Operations Unit—Australian Federal Police <www.afp.gov.au/policing/child-protection-operations.aspx>

Child protection operations of the AFP, through its High Tech Crime Operations Unit is responsible for the investigation of crimes associated with online child sex exploitation and child sex tourism. The links on this webpage allow access to a wide range of helpful materials and resources.

Images of Children and Young People Online—NCPC Resource Sheet <www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/sheets/rs18/rs18.html>

This Resource Sheet contains information about legal issues, privacy laws, emerging issues, classifications of online images, good practices, lodging a complaint about a website and links to additional resources.

Internet Industry Association (IIA)—Guide for Internet users <www.iia.net.au/index.php/initiatives/guide-for-users.html>

This guide assists Australian Internet users to understand Australia’s co-regulatory framework for online content, pursuant to the requirements of legislation. The IIA is a non-profit, private sector industry body which, among other things, develops best practice rules for the industry in Australia in conjunction with ACMA.

Learning On Line—Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development <www.education.vic.gov.au/management/lol/default.htm>

The Learning On Line website provides advice for schools on cybersafety and the responsible use of digital technologies. It has been developed to help schools make the most of the opportunities presented by new developments in digital technologies. At the same time it aims to support schools to minimise risks that may arise through the use of these technologies.

Raising Children Network—Safety tips for parents of toddlers to teens <raisingchildren.net.au/articles/cyberbullying_teenagers.html>

The Raising Children Network website displays tabs for each phase of a child’s development, from newborns to early teenagers. Internet safety tips and a comprehensive range of resources are provided to cater for each specific age group, with the exception of newborns and toddlers.

Stay Smart Online <www.staysmartonline.gov.au>

A one stop shop providing information for Australian internet users on the simple steps they can take to protect their personal and financial information online.  The site has informative videos, quizzes and a free Alert Service that provides information on the latest threats and vulnerabilities.

SuperClubsPLUS—An online community for primary-aged children <www.superclubsplus.com.au/i/home>

SuperClubsPLUS is a safe social learning network where children experience first-hand how to keep themselves safe online. In particular, they learn the safe online strategies and behaviours required to better protect themselves on the wider Internet. Parents and teachers will also find the site useful for its range of training materials and resources.

NB. There is a fee attached to acceessing some information

Teen health and Internet safety—Children, Youth and Women’s Health Service <www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=243&id=2374&np=295>

This webpage provides guidance about the dangers of communicating online and how best to maximise safety when using the Internet. Links to some resources are available as well as a limited number of references for further research.

ThinkUKnow—Internet Safety Program <www.thinkuknow.org.au/site/>

ThinkUKnow is an Internet safety program delivering interactive training to parents, carers and teachers. Created by the UK Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre, ThinkUKnow Australia has been developed by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Microsoft Australia. Users will need to subscribe to the site to gain access to its tools and resources.

Who’s chatting to your kids?—Queensland Police Resource <www.police.qld.gov.au/programs/cscp/personalSafety/children/childProtection/>

A brochure published by the Queensland Police Service’s Task Force Argos. This brochure provides information to parents on Internet safety for children and young people. It discusses social networking, mobile phones, webcams and online gaming, and provides the types of things to look out for that indicate children could be at risk.

CyberAngels—Multiple resource website devoted to online safety (US) <www.cyberangels.org/about.php>

From the Alliance of Guardian Angels, this award winning site hosts pages for parents and a learning centre for children. Of particular use is the cyber security page, providing links to information about dealing with common threats to online security.

KidsHealth for Parents—Article (US) <kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html>

This article for parents about Internet safety briefly outlines the following issues: Internet safety laws; online protection tools; how to get involved in kids’ online activities; basic rules; taking caution in chat rooms; and warning signs to watch out for.

National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children—Internet Safety links (US) <www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/ResourceServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=0#Resource_2>

Focusing on Internet related child exploitation, this web page contains links to some good resources to assist parents and children to stay safe on the Internet. These include; background information, statistical information, safety guidelines and prevention materials to assist parents and children to stay safe on the Internet.

NetSmartz Workshops—A program of the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (US) <www.netsmartz.org/index.aspx>

This website contains a wide range of resources devoted to keeping children safe when they use the Internet. There are materials for parents and guardians, educators, teenagers and children, and additional resources related to law enforcement. The site also houses two interactive workshops for children (NetSmartKids) and teenagers (NSTeens).

SafeTeens.com—Internet security tools for families (US) <www.safeteens.com/>

Aside from providing practical resources for families to ensure the safety of their teenagers, a range of articles and real-world scenarios are provided to highlight the importance of cyber security.

ConnectSafely—Forums, resources and advice about online connectivity (UK) <www.blogsafety.com/category/Connectsafely-Forums/3>

Launched by Childnet International, the ConnectSafely webpage provides information about blogging and social networking. On this website you will find useful information on how to get the most out of using blogs and learn about how to use social networking websites safely and positively. The site contains information for parents, educators, industry, children and young people.

Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)—Hotline for reporting criminal online content (UK) <www.iwf.org.uk/>

IWF’s mission is to work in partnership with Internet service providers, telecommunication companies, mobile operators, software providers, the police, Government and the public to minimise the availability of online criminal content, particularly child sexual abuse images. Primarily this site allows users to report any child sexual abuse images from around the world that may violate the IWFs recommended guidelines.

KidSMART—Interactive tool for children’s online education (UK) <www.kidsmart.org.uk/>

Produced by Childnet International, this interactive page is a child friendly introduction to online computer usage. The “Net Nasties” page outlines a variety of potential hazards and provides suggestions on how to maintain safe Internet practices.

NetSafe—A resource hub for Internet safety (NZ) <www.netsafe.org.nz/>

The Internet Safety Group of New Zealand (ISG), via this website, provides cybersafety education for children, parents, schools, community organisations and businesses. The ISG is the Ministry of Education’s “agent of choice” for cybersafety education in New Zealand, and so a good range of resources has been devoted to this site.

make-IT-safe—International campaign to make IT safe for children <www.make-it-safe.net/>

The goal of the make-IT-safe campaign, run by End Child Prostitution and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT), is to encourage industry and governments from around the world to take responsibility for making online and interactive technologies safe for children and young people. Materials and resources are available for anyone wishing to become involved in the program.

Open Directory Project—Multiple links to issues about child safety on the Internet <www.dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/Child_Safety/>

The Open Directory Project is a database of classified web content edited by volunteer contributors. It offers information and software solutions aimed specifically at protecting children, and includes various options to filter and monitor products to help protect children from the hidden dangers of the Internet.

Virtual Global Taskforce—Making the Internet a safer place <www.virtualglobaltaskforce.com/>

The Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) is an international alliance of law enforcement agencies working together to fight online child abuse and to make the Internet a safer place. The site offers latest news, advice and reporting mechanisms as part of its fight to protect children.

Cyberbullying—An interactive tool for children and teenagers <www.cyberbullying.info>

Visitors to this site can choose to take the interactive path or use the more traditional links to access information about cyberbullying. There are limited publications and downloads, however, the page devoted to reporting cyberbullies contains useful information about how best to approach this difficult issue.