Adults Need to Know More about Cybersafety

Association of Independent Schools of Victoria, 20 February 2009

A survey of nearly 5000 Victorian students shows that adults need to know more about how young people are using mobile phones and the internet. The Association of Independent Schools of Victoria (AISV) says parental guidance can reduce the likelihood of children having a bad internet or mobile phone experience.

The AISV CyberCulture Survey covering 39 single sex and coeducational schools from Years 5 to 11 across Victoria examined the behaviour of young people online and what students think about parental attitudes and school policies.

Most young people said that their parents were aware of their online activities. Almost all said that they would turn to friends, family or adults at school if they were being bullied through electronic technology.

AISV’s Chief Executive, Ms Michelle Green, said today that the survey was conducted because there has not been enough research into the way that young people use mobile phones, computers and the internet.

‘Online safety is an important part of schools’ legal duty of care. We want to ensure that teachers, parents, education authorities and governments better understand how young people use the internet so that strategies can be developed to allow students in all schools across Australia – government and non-government – to safely and effectively use the internet and mobile phones for education, communication and socialisation.’

Ms Green said that to do this, AISV will provide consultants to help schools develop cybersafety policies and curriculum materials. Consultants will also be available to schools for parent information nights.

AISV is partnering with the government regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), to present seminars for teachers and is considering working with ACMA to provide parent and teacher information sessions at AISV member schools in regional areas for government, Catholic and independent schools.

Parents and teachers will be surveyed in 2009. In addition to the ACMA partnership, AISV will work with and other researchers such as the Alannah and Madeleine Foundation and the National Centre Against Bullying.

The survey found that in general, each of nine negative behaviours listed in the survey was experienced by less than 10 per cent of the students ranging from someone spreading a rumour about them online – 9.2 per cent to being hurt or embarrassed while someone else filmed the incident – 3.1 per cent.

Other negative behaviours included: friends blocking them on Messenger; someone sending a nasty or threatening message; posting embarrassing images without permission; private messages made public; posting cruel or nasty things about them online and receiving images that made them uncomfortable. Media reports of an ‘epidemic’ of young people being asked to transmit a nude picture were not sustained, although the figure was 7.3 per cent rising to 16.3 per cent of girls in Year 11.

 

 

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