25 October 2006
Teen abuse DVD a sobering reminder of the dangers of the Net
The emergence of a shocking DVD that allegedly contains evidence of sexual abuse and random acts of vandalism is a sharp reminder of how parents must vigilantly monitor the activities of children online, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Helen Coonan, said today.
“There could be no more glaring an example of how technology is aiding and abetting acts such as these to reach a wider audience at a remarkable pace,” Senator Coonan said.
“It is a sobering reminder of the underbelly of the Internet. While undoubtedly it is a remarkable resource with many positive uses, its ubiquity across the globe means criminal acts are increasingly being captured on video and streamed around the world in seconds.
“You only have to look at the rise of happy slapping and the popularity of video sharing sites such as YouTube to see that this incident could be part of a wider problem.
“More than ever Parents and educators need to be vigilant in monitoring the online activities of children. There are simple steps that can be taken to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate and offensive material and the perpetration of illegal content.
“Keep computers in public or common spaces in the home; install and update Internet content filters; talk to your children about the potential dangers of the Internet and take an interest in what your children are doing online. There is nothing more important than ensuring our children are safe online.
“That is why the Australian Government has committed $116.6 million for the Protecting Australian Families Online package. The centrepiece of this package is the National Filter Scheme which will give every family in Australia a free PC based filter or filtered service.
“Public libraries across Australia will also be given free filters so they can set up child-friendly Internet terminals. A PC based filter can give parents and educators control over the content their children are exposed to.
“Filters can be set at different levels to suit children of different ages and they can protect against inappropriate material being sent by e-mail, it can filter children’s activities in chatrooms and can reduce the risk of offensive material being sent using peer to peer file sharing.
“By using filters parents can stop children from entering personal details into the computer and even block websites they do not wish their children to access.
“Filters are easy to set up and maintain if parents are vigilant. We wouldn’t let children ride in a car without a seatbelt or on their bikes without a helmet – so we must ensure they do not go online unprotected.”