How Optus is promoting online safety this Safer Internet Day

The internet is an important part of the lives of young people in Australia, with teens spending an average of 14.4 hours a week online outside of school – that’s just over two hours a day. Research from the Australian Government’s eSafety Commissioner shows that young Australians are learning and caring more about online safety than ever before. Whether they are browsing, listening to music, gaming, streaming video content, or using social media, it is important to ensure their safety while they are online. In the study by the eSafety Commissioner, more than 40% of teens reported at least one negative online experience in the previous six months, with this number increasing to over 50% for teens aged between 14 and 17.

The Australian Government is pursuing greater legislative actions to keep all Australians safe online, such as the Online Safety Act, and encouraging the tech industry to be more transparent about their safety practices and policies – making Australia an international leader in the fight against online harm.

Safer Internet Day is a global initiative that unites organisations such as Optus, as well as families, schools, and governments from 170 countries, to raise awareness about online safety. The theme of this year’s Safer Internet Day is ‘Play It Safe and Fair Online’, working to make being online safe and fun for everyone. Optus is a proud supporter of Safer Internet Day, with Optus Ambassador and Bathurst racing champion Chaz Mostert advocating for online safety with a dedicated online safety virtual experience, available nationally to all primary schools through the Optus Digital Thumbprint program.

The Optus Digital Thumbprint program, endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a Trusted eSafety Provider, teaches and empowers young people across Australia to be safe and responsible while online so that they can embrace digital technologies and achieve their full potential. Launched in 2013, the program has reached more than 431,000 primary and high school students nationwide. Delivered in face-to-face and digital workshops for years 5 to 12 in metro and regional schools, Optus Digital Thumbprint’s curriculum-aligned workshops cover essential topics including Cyber Security, Cyberbullying, Digital Discernment, Digital Identity and Digital Balance.

It is vital to important to be safe online at home as well. With kids accessing technology at younger ages for school, streaming and gaming, parents can help their kids develop positive online habits from the start with the McAfee® Safe Family app. The McAfee® Safe Family App is a cross-platform app that allows parents to manage their kids' device usage on their smart devices, such phones, laptops, and tablets. This App is available as an optional extra, available at no extra cost to Optus customers on the Optus Family Plan. The App allows parents to set up content restrictions for apps and browsing, screen time rules and limits, and location tracking and alerts for peace of mind when their kids are out and about.

While we all love being online and staying connected 24/7, parents can also make the most of family time with Optus Pause, a new feature on the Optus Living Network that helps customers manage their time online. Available on My Optus App, customers can choose which devices to pause and which to keep connected on their eligible Optus mobile and home WiFi connections, to achieve digital balance.

Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity to start a discussion about online safety at school, home, and work so we can all Play It Safe and Fair Online.

For more information about the Optus Digital Thumbprint program, visit: https://www.digitalthumbprint.com.au/

For more information about Safer Internet Day, visit: https://www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/whats-on/safer-internet-day-2022/

If you feel a young person in your life needs help and support, please let them know that Kids Helpline is there for them at any time. Find out more at https://kidshelpline.com.au/ or dial 1800 55 1800.