More than one cybercrime is reported every 10 minutes, and nearly half of all Australian teenagers have had a bad experience online. To better protect teenagers, Crime Stoppers have launched an online module to help high school students understand how to be good digital citizens, how to be cybersafe, how criminals can use technology, and how to recognise fake news.
“Cybercrime is not going away,” said Diana Forrester, chair of Crime Stoppers Australia and ACT Region Crime Stoppers. “It is by far the biggest concern that we have in the community, and our youngsters cannot be cluey enough about how to keep themselves safe online.”
The free Cybercrime and the Law module teaches Year 7-10 students how to use digital devices safely, and investigates cyberbullying, online abuse, scams, and child sexual exploitation – all issues that concern teenagers.
“We’re increasingly reliant on technology, spending more and more of our life in that space, our exposure increases,” Ms Forrester said. “So being aware of how to protect yourself is incredibly important.”
The module is one of six Civics and Citizenship teacher resources available on the teaching website Scootle and on Crime Stoppers Australia. It was developed by a Department of Education consultant and reviewed by the eSafety Commissioner’s education team.
According to eSafety’s research report The digital lives of Australian teens (February 2021), 44% of teens reported negative experiences online, including unwanted contact and cyberbullying. But compared to 2017 research, more teens managed it themselves, blocked the person, or reported the issue.
Helping young Australians develop critical reason skills, seek help, and make good choices prepared them for some of the challenges of the online world, said eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant.
“There is a really simple call to action here, which first lies with accessing these kinds of evidence-based educational materials. Then we encourage everyone to ‘start the chat’ about online safety … before something goes awry online.”
