Children, young people and parents have described how they want online services to take responsibility for preventing harm before it reaches children, providing valuable insights as the Australian Government develops its Digital Duty of Care.
The Alannah & Madeline Foundation has shared two reports with Government setting out the views of children and young people, and of parents and carers, to help shape the Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill 2026.
The views of children and young people have flowed from consultations about online safety and privacy with more than 800 primary, secondary and tertiary students between 2024 and 2026, with primary students a particular focus and six recent sessions exploring the Digital Duty of Care directly.
Upper primary students described their concern about inappropriate photos and videos, particularly ‘gore’ content, as well as contact by strangers, unwanted attention from “creeps looking at you” and location tracking without their consent. By secondary school, contact with strangers online was described as a regular, often weekly, occurrence, while unsolicited contact, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, and other harassment was common, especially for girls.
Director of Policy & Prevention Ariana Kurzeme said many students distrusted existing safety tools and frameworks provided by tech platforms and were sceptical about whether reporting to a platform was worthwhile.
“Children and young people know exactly what kind of internet they want – one that is safe, trustworthy, truthful and respectful,” she said. “But the online world they experience falls far short of that vision. As one secondary student put it, ‘the internet needs fixing’.
“Children and young people have gone beyond identifying problems – they are offering practical ideas for safer platform design, meaningful choice, accessible support and stronger accountability. The Government must listen to their voices and act on their ideas.”
A fuller picture of families’ views developed through in-depth consultation with 59 parents and carers of primary school children from diverse backgrounds across Australia, conducted by Lewers Research.
From parents' and carers' perspectives, the greatest risks to children online come from inappropriate content and interaction with other users. Generative AI, including chatbots, is also emerging as a major concern, with parents and carers worried about AI generated misinformation and the potential impact of overreliance on AI tools on children's development.
“Parents and carers believe stronger regulation is long overdue,” Ms Kurzeme said. “They welcome the Digital Duty of Care but want reform that genuinely changes platform behaviour by holding tech companies to account and ensuring they do comply.
“Parents are doing everything they can, but they cannot be expected to keep watch over every app, game and chat function their children uses, each with different settings and different risks. They are calling on Government to place a clear, proactive obligation on online services to prevent harm before it occurs.
“The Digital Duty of Care is an opportunity to reshape the digital environment into one where children's safety comes first, ahead of the financial interests of Big Tech. Its success should be judged by whether children and young people experience meaningful improvements in safety, privacy, agency and enjoyment online. Their voices are essential to shaping its form and implementation.”
The Foundation has called for the proposed Digital Duty of Care to be strengthened with an obligation for tech companies to centre the best interests of the child in the design and operation of their services, with legal consequences for breaches.
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About the Alannah & Madeline Foundation
The Alannah & Madeline Foundation was founded 29 years ago by Walter Mikac AM, and a small group of volunteers in memory of Walter’s young daughters Alannah and Madeline, 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
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For further information or to arrange an interview please contact Jeremy Mair - 0499 202 001 or [email protected]
