Dear Parents and Carers

This week as part of Student Protection Week 2025, I am writing in relation to student safety on the internet, and in particular online gaming and social media.  The school has on many occasions suggested to parents and carers the resources of the eSafety Commissioner, and once again, I am recommending that all parents and carers familiarise themselves with the content available on this site.

I realise that there are pressures on parents and carers for children to have online access to a host of things, and there are indeed some amazing resources available for children online.  What I write to caution you about is the underage use of social media platforms and, indeed some online gaming environments.  In recent weeks, I have been made aware of students accessing social media apps that can only be described as dangerous.  This app and many others are environments filled with inappropriate content, pornography, pedophiles, radicalisation material, scammers and anything else that you could name.  Like most sites, they are 13+ age restricted, however, our students are accessing these.  

Even mainstream social media sites such as Instagram and TikTok contain material that is certainly not fit for young people.  In the last week alone, uncensored videos of individuals being killed in the most graphic of ways have flooded these sites.  The videos are not hard to find, but the content, I can assure you, is as graphic and disturbing as it gets.  It is not something young people need to witness. If your child is accessing these platforms, if nothing else, over the coming weeks, please be aware of what they are seeing or accessing

While online gaming potentially has less visually graphic material, it is still an environment that needs to be monitored.  At times, children are in contact with others whom they may not know. Again, the chat on these platforms can be sexualised, aggressive and inappropriate.

As adults, it is a challenge for us to remain current in this space, and students will openly share what they know among themselves, which inevitably puts them well ahead of what we may know.  If we want to help and support them, then we at the very least need to do some of the following:

• Create an environment where if children experience inappropriate contact or are exposed to inappropriate material, they are able to talk with you or another trusted adult to raise their concerns.  
• Be aware of your child's online activity, what they are playing, who they are talking to, and what sites or apps they are accessing.
• Be aware of how much time they spend on a device.  Gaming and online addiction are real consequences.  
• Resist the pressure for children to be on social media sites in general.  These sites have age restrictions, and later this year, the Australian Government will look to increase these restrictions for anyone under the age of 16.  There is a reason for these restrictions being put in place.  The damage caused to young people through access to these platforms has proven to be catastrophic.

Please consider these suggestions, and if you want further advice or support, then please access the eSafety Commissioner website.  To support and protect our students, we as adults need to remain informed and vigilant. 

Have a great week.

Tim