28 October 2010
ACMA supports Day for Daniel with national Cybersmart activities
The Australian Communications and Media Authority, through its Cybersmart program, is joining forces with the Daniel Morcombe Foundation to promote child safety as part of tomorrow’s national Day for Daniel event. The ACMA will host a number of Cybersmart Detectives activities in schools across Australia to help raise awareness of online risks and staying safe.
Over 840 students are expected to participate in one of the largest Cybersmart Detectives activities to date. The activities will be supported by police, teachers and online safety experts from around Australia.
Cybersmart Detectives is a popular activity with teachers and students alike. It presents what seems to be a very real online scenario to students from the safety of a school environment. To date, over 18,000 students have completed the activity.
In addition, the ACMA’s highly successful Cybersmart Outreach program will be running 39 cybersafety presentations to students, parents and teachers around the country during the coming week, to educate school communities about online safety.
‘The ACMA views child safety as a very important issue, particularly as it relates to young people’s exposure to risks online,’ said ACMA Chairman, Chris Chapman.
‘Supporting events like Day for Daniel helps to keep this issue in the public focus. The internet offers an exciting world of opportunity for young people but they can have negative experiences. Cybersmart Detectives educates children about the risks—and how to address them—in an engaging way. The activity helps children learn the skills they need to keep safe and make sound decisions online,’ he said.
The Daniel Morcombe Foundation was established by Denise and Bruce Morcombe following the abduction and suspected murder of their 13 year old son Daniel in December 2003. An annual awareness day involving schools and local communities is being held on Friday 29 October to promote the Foundation’s aims of making the world a safer place for children, both offline and online.
Schools can register to be involved in the ACMA’s cybersafety activities through its Cybersmart website.
For more information or to arrange an interview please contact: Donald Robertson, Media Manager, on (02) 9334 7980, 0418 86 1766 or media@acma.gov.au.
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The ACMA is Australia’s regulator for broadcasting, the internet, radiocommunications and telecommunications. The ACMA’s strategic intent is to make communications and media work in Australia’s public interest. For more information: www.acma.gov.au.
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