Helping keep the internet safe

Posted by Carolyn Dalton, Senior Policy Counsel

Over the years, we've built tools and offered resources to help kids and families stay safe online. Our SafeSearch feature, for example, helps filter explicit content from search results. And we're committed to working with Australian community and parents' groups, schools, regulators and other like-minded Internet companies to promote a safe online environment.

As part of our ongoing efforts to provide online safety resources for parents and kids, we've created Tips for Online Safety, a site designed to help families find quick links to safety tools like SafeSearch, as well as new resources, like a video offering online safety pointers that we've developed in partnership with Common Sense Media. The video offers easy-to-implement tips, like how to set privacy and sharing controls on social networking sites and the importance of having reasonable rules for Internet use at home with appropriate levels of supervision.

Users can also download our new Online Family Safety Guide (PDF), which includes useful Internet Safety pointers for parents.

We all have roles to play in keeping kids safe online. Parents need to be involved with their kids' online lives and teach them how to make smart decisions. And Internet companies like Google need to continue to empower parents and kids with information, tools and resources

We're committed to doing our part to help put Australian parents and kids in control of their online experiences and make web surfing safer.

For further advice and assistance on how to keep kids and families safe online visit www.netalert.gov.au and www.cybersmartkids.com.au. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigates complaints about prohibited internet content and internet gambling services.