THE CEC ABOUT INTERNET SAFETY
CackAlert
Protecting Australian Families Online
The internet is a window on the world that has transformed the way we communicate. Properly harnessed, it has enormous potential as a tool for education, entertainment, interaction and global engagement. Just like the real world, though, there is a lot on the World Wide Web that you wouldn’t want your family to see. Offensive materials are just a few mouse clicks away.
On-line grooming
Do you know who your family is meeting online? Some websites try to recruit people online. They may be dangerous and they will try to use you for their own ends. They may be a bad influence on your family, causing them to become dangerous to others. Never let your teenagers sign up to organisations such as the Young Liberals, Young Nationals, Australian Armed Forces or Hillsong. Inappropriate material
Some radical groups use the internet to promote extreme opinions, Offensive material can be swapped using peer-to-peer file sharing software and chat programs. Beware of right wing think tanks such as Institute of Public Affairs, Sydney Institute, Lavoisier Institute, Centre for Independent Studies and the Menzies Institute. Online scams
Young people can be tricked into responding to on-line scams. Talk to your children about downloading material from dubious sources such as Fox News, Australian Coal Association, Gunns Pty Ltd, Property Council of Australia, Australian Minerals Council and the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Installing a content filter reduces the risk of your family coming into content with something upsetting or dangerous online. To install a content filter, simply develop your critical faculties, read widely, think for yourself, watch for vested interests and check the funding sources of your information providers.