Brough seeking feedback on plans for online child safety

The federal government is seeking feedback on its plans to enhance online safety for children, Member for Fisher Mal Brough said today.
“The start of the school year is an excellent time for us to focus on important aspects of child safety,” Mr Brough said. “It is very evident that parents and carers want better tools to help keep their children as safe as possible when they use the internet.
“Improving online safety will only come through the combined work of parents, carers, schools, police, governments and technology providers.
The government has issued a discussion paper asking for comment on proposed policy measures including:

• establishing a Children’s E-Safety Commissioner;
• developing an effective complaints system, backed by legislation, to get harmful material down fast from large social media sites; and
• examining whether there is a need for a new, simplified cyber-bullying offence.

“The Children’s E-Safety Commissioner will be a single point of contact in the federal government for online safety issues for children,” said Mr Brough.
The discussion paper seeks public comment on implementation of these measures, with many key issues needing to be determined.
The paper is available at www.communications.gov.au/online_safety_consultation** **and submissions are due by 7 March 2013.
“I encourage all with an interest in online safety for children to respond to this discussion paper,” Mr Brough said.