Keeping kids safe online during school holiday time

By Sarah Waters

The biggest school holiday time of the year is here, and kids should be able to enjoy some much-needed fun and relaxation, but unfortunately, they are at a greater risk of online harm.

Crime Stoppers, NSW Police Force, eSafety Commissioner and the Australian Federal Police-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) have joint forces to raise awareness of the safety risks facing young people online.

NSW Police said sexual predators know children will spend more time online, potentially unsupervised, at this time of the year.

Predators are increasingly gaining access to children online through popular apps, games and social media sites to solicit sexual images or video, or harm them physically.

Crime Stoppers CEO Peter Price AM said they want to prepare parents and help them better manage their children’s online presence and safety.

Through the awareness campaign they also hope to educate teens around sextortion – the practice of extorting money or sexual favours from someone by threatening to reveal evidence of their sexual activity.

“We are imploring parents to be even more attentive,” Mr Price said.

“Protecting our most vulnerable is a priorityyoung or old,” he said.

According to the Mind the Gap Research undertaken by eSafety, there are signifcant gaps in parents’ awareness.

The research showed 55 per cent of children communicated with someone they frst met online yet only 34 per cent of parents were aware.

In the 14-17 year age group 62 per cent were exposed to negative online content yet only 43 per cent of their parents were aware.

This content included gory or violent material, drug taking, hate messages, self-harm, ways to take their own life and violent sexual images or videos with 11 per cent of 14-17 years olds being asked by someone online to send sexual images of themselves.

Mr Price said the message to parents is not everyone your child meets online is who they

Never too cool for school!

say they are.

Parents need to be aware of signs which could indicate their child is being exposed to online harm.

These signs include, becoming vague or secretive about what they’re doing online, becoming quieter or withdrawn, avoiding their phone or other devices when parents are near them.

From an early age children should know if anyone asks for a photo of them without clothes on, they need to tell their parents straight away.

eSafety Commissioner

Julie Inman Grant said the best way to prevent children from being groomed is to be a regular, active participant in their online and offine lives.

“Set family rules together, including which devices and apps can be used, when and for how long,” Ms Grant said.

“Ensure devices are used in open areas of the home, rather than in the bathroom or bedroom, so you’re generally aware of what they’re doing online.

“The vast majority of covert online grooming and sexual extortion our investigators see is happening behind closed doors, in what might be considered the ‘safety and sanctity’ of one’s home,” she said.

Some of the red fags include suspicious accounts, asking personal questions, inconsistencies in the profle or language used and starting sexualised chat.

ACCCE and Human Exploitation Commander Helen Schneider said around 300 reports involving young people under 18 are received by the ACCCE each month.

Commander of the NSWPF State Crime Command’s Sex Crimes Squad Detective Superintendent Jayne

Doherty said parents need to have regular open and honest conversations with their child about what they’re up to online.

“The best thing you can do is ensure they feel safe coming to you if they have questions or concerns about people they are engaging with.

“Make sure you are educated and wellarmed with resources available at places such as ‘ThinkUKnow’,” she said.

What to do if your child encounters online harm

Collect Evidencescreenshots or photos of the conversation. Record social media details such as profles, usernames and URLs. Block - block the user and consider changing your information including your password. Report - report it as soon as possible to ACCCE.

No information is too small or insignifcant. Something that may appear that way could be vital to a police investigation.

If you’re 18 or older and being blackmailed, report it to any platforms or services where the blackmailer contacted you. If your intimate image or video is shared you can report to eSafety to have it removed. eSafety has tips to help you deal with sexual extortion.