With teenagers spending about two hours a day online, Shepparton Christian College principal Chris Aiton said it was important children learned safe internet habits from a young age.
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With an average of around four different social media accounts, many children have had a negative experience online, including being contacted by a stranger, according to research by the eSafety Commissioner released on Tuesday, February 9, Safer Internet Day.
The research showed just over four in 10 teenagers had at least one negative online experience in the six months to September 2020, with three in 10 having unwanted contact from a stranger.
Two in 10 reported being sent unwanted content featuring, for example, pornography or violence.
Mr Aiton said while the school emphasised the importance of safe internet use to its students, it was crucial the message was reiterated at home.
“We always talk about internet safety and how to remain safe online,” he said.
“We also work with parents to help equip them, so it's not just the school teaching these skills.”
