• Helen McGrath
• The Alannah and Madeline Foundation

Read the full text

09 October 2009This literature review by Adjunct Professor Helen McGrath of RMIT School of Education informs the development of The Alannah and Madeline Foundation's Cybersafety and Wellbeing Initiative.

Cyberbullying, sexual predation, accessing inappropriate content, being coerced into sending sexually suggestive images, and identity fraud are some of the cyberspace risks facing young people today.

• Recent research reveals that approximately 10% of Australian students in years 4-9 have experienced cyberbullying.
• A number of children and young people will be targeted by an online predator or paedophile each year.
• 'Sexting' (where nude or sexual images are sent as picture messages via mobile phones) is on the rise among young people, with most not thinking about the future consequences.
• Many young people share their username and password with friends, and can find their user accounts misused when the friendship turns sour.
• Children can be particularly vulnerable to marketing offers they 'sign up' to that result in a torrent of spam, or ongoing charges for the downloads they can't control.
• Parents and teachers are often too unfamiliar with cyberspace to offer credible advice to young people about the risks online and how to avoid them.