The Alannah & Madeline Foundation and Telstra team up to launch DigiTalk – an online safety hub for parents & carers
The Alannah & Madeline Foundation has partnered with Telstra to deliver DigiTalk, an online safety hub dedicated to providing parents and carers with expert advice and practical strategies for keeping children and teenagers safe online.
In today's digital age, the internet is central to children’s lives, with many Australian children and young people learning, playing, socialising and being entertained online. The average school-aged child owns three personal screen-based devices, and 80% of 16–17-year-olds use social media almost every day.*
The internet provides children and teenagers with a range of benefits; however, it can pose risks to their safety with the possibility of exposure to inappropriate content, privacy breaches or cyberbullying. Eight in ten parents surveyed in 2021 said their child had told them about things that have bothered or upset them online.*
In research conducted by Telstra, four in five (79%) parents say they have had a ‘talk’ with their children about how to stay safe online, with half (49%) noting they talk about this matter a lot. But despite this, almost one third (31%) of Aussie parents of kids aged 5-17 years say they aren’t sure/have no idea where their kids are spending time online.**
Understandably parents and carers can feel overwhelmed when it comes to ensuring their child's online safety and often don’t know where to start. Communication is key, which is why the Alannah & Madeline Foundation and Telstra are encouraging families to ‘have the DigiTalk’ today.
To help facilitate these conversations they have launched the DigiTalk Online Safety Hub for parents and carers, providing tips and tricks that are easily accessible, digestible, and actionable.
A number of topics are covered including; finding a healthy balance with screen time, nurturing their media and digital literacy, engaging safely with online gaming, dealing with online bullying, and ways to balance exploration with responsibility to help empower them to navigate the online world confidently and safely.
“The ever-evolving digital landscape can be complex and intimidating. The Alannah & Madeline Foundation is thrilled to be working with Telstra to launch a resource that provides parents and carers with credible and practical information in assisting the children and teens in their life to become responsible, confident digital citizens,” said Dr. Maša Popovac, Senior Advisor – Digital Literacy and Online Safety at the Alannah & Madeline Foundation.
“It’s really never too early to start talking to your children about cyber safety. You could begin the talk at a young age by explaining the concept of the internet and its uses as well as best practice such as keeping your personal details private, being kind and staying alert to scams.
“As our children get their own devices and spend more time online, it’s important they know how to stay safer. That’s why we’re thrilled we’ve been able to evolve our partnership with the Alannah & Madeline Foundation to include the DigiTalk initiative,” said Jackie Coates, Head of Telstra Foundation.
Visit the Alannah & Madeline Foundation’s online safety hub, supported by Telstra and have the DigiTalk today. www.digitalk.org.au
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* Mind the Gap - Parental awareness of children’s exposure to risks online
** YouGov conducted online between 6-7 February 2023, sample comprised of 1,011 Australians 18 years and older. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1011 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 6th – 7th February 2023. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Australian adults (aged 18+).
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About us:
The Alannah & Madeline Foundation was founded 26 years ago by Walter Mikac AM, and a small group of volunteers in memory of Walter’s young daughters Alannah and Madeline Mikac, aged just six and three, who tragically lost their lives along with their mother and 32 others at Port Arthur in Tasmania on 28 April 1996. The Foundation was established with the belief that “all children and young people should be able to live a happy and safe life, free from violence and trauma.” Our mission continues today through our Care, Prevention and Advocacy programs – we fight for their right to be safe, so their future is strong. www.alannahandmadeline.org.au
Contact details:
For further information, interview requests or images, please contact:
Simone Redman-Jones - PR & Media Manager, Alannah & Madeline Foundation
0499 202 001 or simone.redmanjones@amf.org.au
