 Let’s talk NUDES. Sexting or sending and receiving nudes isn't new. This type of behaviour has been around in one form or another for a long time, but in recent years the access to connected technology, new social networking platforms and peer pressure is seeing 'nudes' as becoming part of the ever day life of digital teens. Sending nudes can often lead to devastating outcomes so let's break it down.
According to an eSafety Commissioner survey, 9 out of 10 teens (14-17 years of age) thought that sexting happened among their peers and around 4 in 10 reported that it either happened often, or all the time. Of the teens surveyed nearly 1 in 3 young people aged 14-17 years in Australia had some experience with sexting. This included sending, being asked and asking, sharing or showing nude or nearly nude images or videos. The statistics indicate that if young people aren't being asked to send these explicit images then it is something that is certainly being spoken about within their peer groups. Additionally, the social pressures to send nudes can also intensify the ongoing battle with self-image and self-esteem. In cases where the images have been seen by others (beyond the intended person) the consequences can be quite severe in terms of possible criminal prosecution, trouble with school authorities or serious social and psychological consequences including increased bullying, social isolation, shaming and severe anxiety, fear and depression. Although the personal ramifications and social implications that come from sexting are regularly emphasized to young people, it is an imperative for them to be aware of the serious laws (which have recently changed) that can implicate minors that send, receive and possess explicit images of other minors. Victorian Legal Aid make the legislation related to sexting and what is deemed child pornography very clear, “Sexting is a crime if you intentionally distribute an intimate image of a person under 18 to others, even if they agree to the sext message being sent. You could also be charged by police with child pornography offences.” Threatening to send an intimate image of a person to others, if the person believes that you will carry out the threat, may also be a criminal offence. While it can seem confronting, that fact that teenagers today are sharing these explicit images with one another means the term child pornography needs to be addressed. Victorian Legal Aid highlights that under Commonwealth law you could be charged with child pornography offences if you take, send, receive, make available, possess or store sexual or intimate photos of someone who is under 18 or who looks or represents someone under 18. Under these laws, there are serious consequences if you get caught. To learn more please access the Legal Aid Website. https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/find-legal-answers/sex-and-law/sexting-and-child-pornography So with all this information what is our advice on this very real and sensitive topic. The reality around sexting and sending nudes is very real. As responsible adults we can’t shy away from this important conversation. Asking questions about how your children feel and what they know can help you to gauge your child's level of knowledge and keeps you informed to guide and educate them about the risks and dangers of this very difficult space.
Enforce boundaries. Responsible use of technology is learnt, not simply acquired. Young digital citizens need guidance and boundaries. Here are our non negotiables when it come to the use of technology in the home. You home digital device police should include the following (no exceptions):
Keep your eyes peeled. There are some cheeky and deceitful applications that can be downloaded to store photos in other 'secret' folders or vaults. Applications like Fake Calculator and Photo Vault store images off the users Camera Roll into these 'hidden' folders make them harder find and use cloud/server storage so the images can be removed from the phone with the hope that explicit images cant be found. Be sure to check all apps on your children's phones, even the icons that look like native apps like the Calculator, Weather or Notes apps - they could be a hidden/secret vault.
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 To remember complex passwords today you basically need a masters degree! For a password to be truly strong and secure it must include a range of letters, numbers, symbols as well as upper and lower case letters. Let's be honest a random complex password is basically impossible to remember without writing it down. According to a Telesign consumer report, data breaches and account hacks are becoming a regular occurrence for digital citizens, with 2 in 5 people having had an account hacked or password stolen. Whilst there are many new security tools to make accessing our devices and accounts easier and secure, such as facial recognition and fingerprint technologies, ‘password’ and pin number security is still the most common way for digital users to access their online accounts and profiles.
The Passphrase Here’s an idea… Rather than using a word or a set of completely random letters, numbers AND symbols that are seemingly impossible to remember, try using a passphrase. A passphrase is a clever trick to create a set of what may appear to be random letters. To design a passphrase, think of a phrase or sentence that you will be able to remember. Next use the first letters of each word from your memorable sentence or phrase to create a unique passphrase. Let's try this out... "Nobody will ever be able to hack into my Xbox with this passphrase” = nwebathimxwtp Whilst this may look complicated, lowercase letters on their own are still susceptible to hacking, particularly software programs design to process 1000s of password combinations per second. So, next we need to add some extra complexity. Review your sentence and see if you can manipulate or transform some of the letters into numbers or symbols. It’s also a good idea to make some of the letters into capital letters too. By doing this you will accelerate your password design skills tenfold. Passphrase Sentence: "Nobody will ever be able to hack into my Xbox with this passphrase”” Letters, Numbers and Symbols Passphrase: Nw3b4th!mXwtp If you look at the example Nw3b4th!mXwtp you will notice the symbols align with the letters used to create the passphrase. In this example you can see that we substituted some of the letters with 'like shaped' numbers. - Substituting the ‘E’ for a ‘3’ - Substituting the ‘A’ for a ‘4’ - Substituting the ‘i’ for a ‘!’ This password now contains 13 characters (2 capitals letters, 8 lower case letters, 2 numbers and 1 symbols) and still aligns with my memorable sentence that ill be using to remember the password. The added benefit of a Passphrase is that you can customise the sentence any way you like to make sure it is in line with any website or online profile specifications. Have a go at creating a sample passphrase and test out its strength by visiting the “How Secure is my Password” website. https://howsecureismypassword.net/ *note never ever use your real password in this tool – just to be safe! Dos and Don’ts when creating Password When creating a password there are some things that you should and shouldn’t do to protect your personal devices and online profiles/accounts: DO: Have a 12-character minimum – at the very minimum 12 character is acceptable, ideally even longer is better. DO: Includes numbers, symbols, lower case and uppercase letters – the greater the mix the harder it is to crack. DON’T: Make sure it is NOT a word that can be found in the dictionary – never use common words or combinations of words. Words are patterns in language and patterns reduce the strength of your passwords. DON’T: Never rely on the one basic and predictable substitution. Using symbols is very important, but don’t just use the symbol @ as a replacement for the letter a or number 5 to replace the letter within a ‘word’. It’s too obvious. Got multiple accounts? Have multiple passphrases When logging into any online account, it is extremely important to be so cautious of the domino effect that may occur if using one single password/passphrase across all of your accounts. If one of your accounts is compromised, this will put your other online accounts at risk. Having the same password/passphrase across all of your accounts provides an open door for hackers who will browse your history and view other platforms or sites you have been using to obtain a range of our personal information. New season is a great time to design a new set of passphrases Developing long and strong access codes is now just an important part of online life, but we must not set and forget! Regularly updating our passwords/passphrases minimises the chances of our online accounts being compromised. Use the seasons of the year or set a reminder in your phone every few months alerting you to visit your frequented online accounts and update/change your passwords. A proactive password strategy is key to preventing cybercrime. The “it won’t happen to me’ does not cut it!  EVERY TIME we visit a school we ask the students 'what do you do online?', without fail we hear "I play Roblox". Targeted to young digital users (13 and under) Roblox is a maker style, collaborative online game platform available on Smartphones, PC, tablets and Xbox. The true appeal of Roblox is not fancy graphics. It is the vast nature of how users can play, explore and create with freedom. Players can enjoy the challenge of navigating mazes and obstacles and simulating real life role play. Roblox allows its own users to create and generate their own games with their online game creation tool and have these published on the site for other Roblox users to play. Young users of Roblox have reported that sometimes these games are scary or have violent themes. They often share insights that they regularly play with people they do not know. Like all online games today, there are features that parents/guardians must be aware of, as well as some safety features within the settings that can protect young Roblox players. Friend Requests The core purpose of Roblox is for players to roam, interact and make friends with other users. This is done by exploring the online world and talking with other players within the chat feature. Similar to any online multiplayer game, there is little control over the types of people or age limits of those playing the game. You do have the ability to delete friends by clicking on the friends menu, and the selecting the profile of the “friend” you want to “de-friend”. Form here you select “Unfriend” from their profile top right. You can restrict online interactions with different players via the Roblox website.
Conversation Starters: - Why should we only play with people we know? - How can you tell if someone is real or a scam bot? - What do you do when an unknown user talks to you?  User Generated Content/Games Players of Roblox can make games for other players to enjoy. This is one of the creative and educational features within of the game. The user created games themselves aren't classified or rated because they aren't apart of the original download. If your children are playing user created games within Roblox, parents need to take additional care. There are some Roblox user generated games that do include intentionally horror themes and violence. Conversation Starters: - What games are you playing on Roblox? - How do you know if these games are created by Roblox or other users? - Have you ever felt scared or worried when playing Roblox - what can you do to make yourself feel safe?  Roblox Parental Control Settings: Roblox provide some very comprehensive parental control settings on the Roblox website along with explicit guidance for parents. https://corp.roblox.com/parents/. A necessary setting that we highly recommend is to set your child’s accounts with the accurate year of birth to ensure appropriate safe-chat mode is activated. Safe-chat mode will be automatically applied for users that are under 13 and which will restrict chat to only those who are 'approved friends'. Please note, specifying the age of your child does not filter the content within games. All player can access all games within Roblox. The Roblox Parental Control Settings are also provided the option for a 'Parent Login' which allows you to oversee the use of your child's Roblox account. To restrict the list of games to a limited list created by the staff at Roblox staff as follows:
Conversation Starters: - Why do you think we (Parent's) need to set up these settings on your game? - Who would you tell if some was going wrong, you feel unsafe or unhappy during or after playing online games? - How can YOU stay safe when you are playing? Chat/Direct Messaging All 'chat' on Roblox is filtered to prevent inappropriate content and personally identifiable information from being visible on the site. Players will have different safety settings and experiences on Roblox, based on the year of birth set on the account. Players aged 12 and younger do have their posts and chats filtered for inappropriate content and behaviour to prevent personal information from being posted. However, players aged 13 and older have the ability to say more words and phrases than younger players, but inappropriate chat and sharing personal information is restricted regardless of age. This filtering system covers all areas of communication on Roblox, public and private. While these in game chat filters do monitor and block inappropriate language from appearing players are using creatives way to bypass such filters. Conversation Starters: - Who do you chat to on Roblox? - How can you tell that it's really your friend? - What shouldn't you ever say or tell when chatting online? In App Purchasing & Advertising Like so many popular games, Roblox is free to play for the most part. However a users can upgrade their characters allow special clothing, weapons and gear that be purchased via Robuxs. This requires real money and children are very keen to use these to 'look' cool or gain advantage within some of the games. The items are advertised in the game directly as well as on the Roblox website. It’s important, therefore, that you have passwords on any credit cards associated with the game account. Conversation Starters: - What are the dangers of providing credit card details online? - How do we decide the difference between needs and wants? - Do you need to spend money in this game to still have fun?  Should I allow my child to play Roblox?
Like any online game there are degrees of concern in how young users may encounter strangers. The above measures do minimise the risk, however the best insight into the game play and potential dangers. To truly understand Roblox or any online game they show interest in playing, is to play it first yourself. We also recommend to set up the account profile with your child, set boundaries within game play and utilises the Parental Controls for what they are designed for. Modelling to them that managing our settings and using filtering systems on any online platform is a core lesson of digital citizenship, and who better than you to model this to them. Our final tips for Parent whose children are playing, or show interest in playing Roblox is to:
The power is in your hands with safety features just a few clicks away! All social media sites, gaming platforms/consoles and streaming services provide filters and controls to put privacy and safety measures in your hands, you just need to know what to look out for... We have compiled some steps for how to set the privacy settings on some of the larger (current) gaming and social networking platforms. We strongly recommend investing in ten minutes to review the settings and controls with your children to teach them about this safe practice and digital life skill. While this list is not exhaustive, user settings are part of every app or platform, where you will always find controls and filters to put the power of privacy back in your hands.
 Snap Maps and Ghost Mode: There is a trend amongst young people to openly share their location. Snapchat being one of the most popular platforms features such as Snap Maps publishes your exact location on a map every time you actively use the app. To avoid sharing your location Ghost Mode (found in settings) will need to be turned on hiding your location from your “friends”. How to urn on Ghost Mode: 1. Open the Snapchat camera screen. 2. Use your finger to SWIPE down, this will open Snap Maps . 3. In the top right hand corner select the Settings Wheel (with the ghost on it). 4. Set your preference for ‘Who Can See Me’ and set this to Only Me (Ghost Mode). This will switch on the Ghost Mode setting. Whilst in settings, you might want to also review what personal information has been provided, who you allow to contact you and customising the notifications feature.
 Automatically hide offensive comments: When this feature is turned on inappropriate, offensive or bullying comments that users may receive are automatically filtered out from posts, stories and live videos: 1. Go to your profile 2. Select Settings. 3. Select Privacy and Security. 4. Tap Comment Controls. 5. Tap next to Hide Offensive Comments to turn it on. Once the offensive comment filter is turned on, you can also turn on a keyword filter to hide comments that contain specific words, phrases and even emojis that you don’t want seen. You can include any terms that you know your child may be being called or targeted with. 1. Go to your profile 2. Tap Settings. 3. Tap Privacy and Security. 4. Tap Comment Controls. 5. Make sure that Hide Offensive Comments is turned on. 6. Tap next to Manual Filter to turn it on. 7. Add any terms or phrase you wish to be filtered out. Gaming Consoles: Gaming Profile/Account are often overlooked as social networking. With many of todays games providing users with the ability to work in team and openly communicate. Users are able to connect and add other users granting access to their statistics and information provided.
Embedded within the privacy settings and the initial account set up on these consoles it is important to accurately enter your child's year of birth as this automatically sets appropriate age restrictions for this age group. Through these settings you are able to choose the apps your child can access, set time limits, control purchases and who can communicate with them during game play. Here are some recommended actions for Xbox ONE and PlayStation 4 to add a layer of security and peace of mind. How to Set up a CHILD account on: PlayStation 4: 1. Sign in or create an adult account. 2. Go to Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management > Add > Family Member > Create User. 3. You’ll need a Sony Entertainment network account for them. Adding the date of birth will indicate it's a child account. Xbox ONE: 1. Sign in or create an adult account. 2. Select Settings > Family > Add to family > Add New. 3. You will need a free Microsoft account. 4. Choose from Child or Teen for the account type (different restriction exist depending on which one you select). Here you will also be turn on parental controls. These can easily be changed later. A common feature of online gaming is the ability for strangers to communicate through multiplayer online games. Use the settings within these consoles to ensure that your children aren’t talking to strangers while they play games: PlayStation 4: 1. Go to Settings > Parental Controls/Family Management > Family Management. 2. Select the child’s account. 3. Select Applications/Devices/Network Features. 4. Under 'Network Features' you can stop them communicating with or viewing content created by other players. Xbox ONE: 1. Go to Settings > All Settings > Account > Family and choose the child’s account 2. Select Privacy & Online Safety. Here you can alter who can see your child when they’re online (no-one, friends and everyone) and whether they communicate by voice and text with them. Regardless of the application, game or profile the power is in your hands. Whilst gaming and social networking platforms will not always promote their safety features as default, accessing the settings enable you to review how your information is used and gives you the power to decide ways other users can interact with you. Investing a few minutes of your time to work with your child to set things up right from the start is a powerful teachable moment that will assist with keeping them safer online.  TELLOYMN joins a growing family of anonymous messaging applications including Sarahah, Ask.FM and Line. These platforms have evolved into an online environment rife with insults, inappropriate content and regular online bullying.
Why are anonymous messenger apps so popular among teenagers? They are forums which conceal the users identity and location and enable #TBH (to be honest) commenting. TELLONYM encourages users to "answer anonymous questions and ask others the things you have never dared before" making it appealing for curious teens seeking social acceptance and an opportunity to ask embarrassing questions among their peer groups. To create an account, users are required to provide an email address or a phone contact, as well as acknowledge that they are 17 years old or under. A simple YES or NO response is required with no age verification process. TELLONYM encourages users to link their Snapchat and Instagram profiles, and like these platforms, encourages users to connect and build a following. Anyone can ask you a question and when you respond this becomes public on your profile for all who view your profile to see. It is common to witness negative or inappropriate questioning with replies/responses tending to being defensive, aggressive or offensive in nature. The online anonymity that is present within TELLONYM is cultivating a negative, cruel and hurtful culture among online groups of young users. While users have the ability to block and report harmful behaviour, this will only ever take place after the damaging or bullying behaviour has occurred. We recommend using the following points to stimulate a discussion with your own children or students in your class that highlight key issues surrounding TELLONYM and similar anonymous messaging applications:
It has been just over three weeks since Apex Legends was released and has already been touted as the first legitimate competition to the juggernaut that is Fortnite. Apex Legends rapid rise in the gaming world has been expeditious. To put things in perceptive, in it's first two weeks Fortnite had 10 million downloads, while Apex Legends had 25 million in its first week! If your child isn’t talking about (and wanting to play Apex Legends) it is only a matter of time. So here is what you need to know.
Apex Legends is currently available on PS4, Xbox ONE and PC. It is a multiplayer ‘Battle style' game similar to the format of Fortnite. Twenty squads (teams of three players) are dropped into a map of an island, where they begin a battle to be the ‘last man standing’. Players search for supplies, ammunition and explosives to shoot and kill whilst the playing area continues to get decrease in size. The Australian Classification Standards have Apex Legends rated as MA 15+, legally restricting this game to persons 15 years and older, with reference to strong violence and graphic representation of harm. Like any media platform, this is something that should not be overlooked. While Fortnite, has often be defended against being a 'violent' game with no blood featured and cartoonish gameplay, Apex Legends includes blood spatters, stabbing and greater realistic violence. We strongly advise parents to view video content or play to game to establish how they feel about their children accessing this form of media. Given the increase in popularity of these styles of online games, there are two key factors that make this game so appealing. The influence of obsessive behaviour to constantly play games and the social element of connecting with friends (or complete strangers) through game collaboration and communication features. These styles of games have addictive tendencies through the short time investment in each game (around 15 -20 minutes) and operant conditioning which exists through the randomisation of being rewarded when searching and finding helpful weapons and ammunition. It is these triggers that can make it hard for any person to self-regulate their game play and falling into a vortex of playing “just one more” game. Like something sweet, the colours, sounds and reward systems within both Fortnite and Apex Legends provide young (and older) players stimulus that encourages returning to the game to fulfil a craving. Apex Legends, promotes collaborative game with players taking part in teams of three. Unless the user has two other 'friends' that they know with the same gaming console (PS4, Xbox ONE or PC), they will be paired to play with people they don't know. With the ability to communicate both verbally (audio headsets) this does mean there is the risk that users will be exposed to inappropriate language and strangers. If users are playing people with strangers, there is the ability to mute them during game play and should be encouraged. Whether your children are play Apex Legends, Fortnite, FIFA or Solitaire, there are always things you should know and talk about when playing online games. Here are our TOP TIPS for parents whose children play online games:
The new year brings new apps growing in popularity among kids, tweens and teens. Instagram and Snapchat are still undoubtedly incredibly popular amongst teens and young people today. However, there are new additions on our watch list appearing in the App Store under the Social Media banner with features including video-sharing, streaming, direct messaging and the ability to connect with strangers. If your children or family members are using connected technology it is so important to know the potentially dangerous and risky features that exist within the applications they use. Knowing the ins and outs will help you as a parent make informed decisions as to whether this space is somewhere you are happy for your children to engage in.
Tech gadgets are undoubtedly among the most popular gifts landing under Christmas trees around the world this year. With all of these tech gadgets requiring connectivity to apps, platforms and cloud services we must plan to protect young digital users by putting proactive measures in place to keep them safe. If drones, VR headsets, gaming consoles and smart phones/devices are on your youngster's wish list, it's important to get on the front foot when it comes to tech gift cyber safety. PLAN, PROTECT & PREVENT
Protect: Most 'smart' tech based gifts require alignment and connection with a mobile phone or tablet App/Application. All of which will require users to create a User Profile and agree to the company's terms of service. Every App has its own set of service policies. We understand terms and conditions can be wordy and long and it is natural to want to move on quickly to the fun stuff. When scanning terms and conditions we recommend looking out for the following key elements:
Prevent:
TIP: Establishing an open and trusting relationship with your children about their digital habits enables you to have greater insight into their online behaviours and opportunities to prevent issues from occurring. A child or teen is less likely to go to a parent if they believe they will banned from future use of a device, game or platform... So be strategic in how you respond when a child does come to you with a challenge or problem. Planning, prevention and protection are a critical combination for ensuring this trust between guardians and children is developed and maintained. Safe Profiles: When creating online profiles we recommend you:
Popular Tech Gadget Gifts this year:1.Drones Amongst other things, drones can take in some awesome views and share these directly to your smartphone as an image or video. With their long range GPS, WiFi connection and built in cameras, professional (and amateur) photographers are now hitting the skies to take some incredibly creative photos. Drones are becoming social! Like most technologies and interest groups, social networking has now become a big player in the drone game. When you connect your Drone to its associated mobile/tablet app, it may also connect you to the SkyPixel. A social networking platform for drone photography enthusiasts. You can upload your flight videos and photos for other SkyPixel members to like and comment. They can become your fan, follow you and send direct messages. Be wary of location settings! Like many Drones and associated Apps, The GPS features is a critical element of this technology. With location services turned on, your drone will be able to 'return to home base'. This is a great feature if you're a rookie drone pilot and lose track of your drone mid-flight, however this raises alarm bells for the Cyber Safety Project team when it comes to younger users of this technology - especially when connecting their profile to SkyPixel where users of all ages from around the world can connect with them. 2. Virtual Reality (VR) Headsets VR Headsets fall into two categories, Mobile or Tethered. Tethered VR headsets connect to a device such as a PC or gaming console. Whilst, mobile headsets generally require the use of a smart phone with app connectivity to enjoy the immersive nature of Virtual Reality. As soon as you are required to download an App for immersive VR gaming or simulations you will be required to 'sign up' to the platform. In this case you must be aware of the games and apps your children are downloading, accessing and what information they may be inputting into this platform to gain access to the game or App. As each game or App has it's own set of terms, features and capabilities the Plan, Protect and Prevent strategy must be put in place. PLAN: Ensure your children ask you permission before downloading any app. This will provide you with the time and opportunity to research, play and understand the nature of the game/app, terms of use and the data it may request when signing up. Look out for in-game purchases and ensure you disable this feature. PROTECT: Monitor the use of these immersive games and check for adult themes and levels of violence. PREVENT: Set up a safe profile and review the settings to explore what you can control. 3. Gaming Consoles Create Safe Console Accounts: Stay in control by accessing the game consoles built in parent controls. These enable parents to decide what content their children can access and which functions that they are able to use.
Disable in Game Purchases: We have all heard of the credit card horror stories of young children accidently (or in some cases, knowingly) wracking up a hefty credit card bill through in-app/game purchases. After all, who doesn't want some more 'hay' in that farming app at the click of a button, or to upgrade your avatar skin to obtain additional status in your game? Two key recommendations are:
Understand Online Collaboration Features: Connecting with strangers online doesn't just happen on Social Media platforms, the gaming world is hyperconnected and highly collaborative. If your children play gaming consoles there is no doubt that they will have access to games that allow them to play, chat and even stream live video with other connected players from all over the world.
Set game play limits and life balance: Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation officially recognised gaming addiction as a mental health condition. Similar to gambling mechanisms, popular games such as Fortnite make use of bright colours, sounds and reward systems design to keep players within the game. This method is called operant conditioning, where high level rewards occur randomly encouraging players to 'just play one more round' with the chance of a big reward. Not all children will become addicted to gaming, however according to our 2018 Digital Habits Survey, 83% of parents do worry about time spend on gaming and find it challenging to manage screen time and game play. A few things to consider when managing game play and strategies to assist your children with building skills to self-regulate for a healthier balance of daily activity:
4. Smart Phones
Mobile devices including Smart Phones and tablets are the portal to Social Networking and web browsing whereby young children have access to the world in their pocket. If a mobile phone or connected tablet is on this years present list here are some important steps you'll need to take to get it right from the start. Disable Device Location Settings:
Discuss Posting Protocols:
Monitor:
Access Parental Controls: Here at the Cyber Safety Project we are all for educating young people with safe practices and understanding the importance of safety precautions. There are however some great technologies available to parents to provide peace of mind when it comes to device use and monitoring what they children are exposed to. You may wish to explore software tools such as Family Zone or the new inbuild Family Monitoring features on the latest iOS update (for iPhone). "There's nothin' on telly!" Remember that time? Kids... you won't! But back in the good ol' days your parents had to find something else to do, like ride their bike, read a book or play with their siblings, whilst they waited for their favourite TV show to be aired. We're not talking just minutes here either! It could have been hours, sometimes even days! So just spare a thought when you have to wait 30 seconds for your show to load or buffer. With Netflix and other streaming services now making it simple for young children to watch their favourite (and potentially unfavourable) episodes on demand we are now faced with yet another challenge of managing what, how, when and where children can get their hands on adult themed content. At first glance these animated series may look innocent enough, however, be warned they are not designed for children. Here we list three Netflix original animated series gaining popularity with Australian audiences... AND likely to be topics of playground chatter at a school near you! 1. BIG MOUTH  Big Mouth is an animation centred around a humorous view upon the modern adolescent. This series characterises a group of teens who are obsessed with sex and exploration of their genitalia and sexualities. Whilst much of this content is relatable and humorous to a mature audience you would be mortified to find your younger children exposed to the mature themes, animated nudity and sexual behaviours, drug and alcohol references and highly explicit language. What makes this so inappropriate? Animated nudity, sexual references, explicit language and jokes referencing drugs and alcohol 2. BOJACK HORSEMAN  Bojack Horseman is an animated series set in an alternate world, where humans and anthropomorphic animals live side by side. Bojack Horseman plans his big return to celebrity relevance through writing a tell-all autobiography about his life post his starring in a 1990's sitcom Horsin' Around. Alongside having a satirical take on current events, politics, and show business, BoJack Horseman underlying themes focus on dealing with depression, trauma, addiction and self-destructive behaviour. What makes this so inappropriate? Substance abuse, violence, explicate language and adult themes. 3. CASTLEVANIA  Castlevania is an adaptation of a classic video game about vampire hunters with the main objective of killing and destroying enemies. There nature of this show is violent with regular, excessive and dramatised fight scenes that result in bloody deaths. What makes this so inappropriate? Excessive and brutal violence, blood and gore. Managing your children's access to Netflix Take advantage of parent controls in Netflix and ensure the following Netflix original Cartoon series too crass for kids are added to your Restricted Titles within the Netflix Parental Control settings.
#Netflix #ParentalControls We now live in an instant access society where streaming services such as Netflix are making the consumption of popular TV shows, series, movies and documentaries easier and faster than ever before. For parents, managing screen time, binge watching and filtering age appropriate content, Netflix is yet another online service to battle. The good news is there are Parental Controls within Netflix settings that can dramatically reduce the risk of your children accessing Netflix content that could be too crass for kids. Like most online platforms or apps, spending a few moments within the app settings can protect your children from exposure to inappropriate content and allow you to take control. Within Netflix Parental Controls you will find two settings that the Cyber Safety Project recommend setting up for your family. Both the 'Restrict by Maturity Level' and 'Restrict Specific Titles' allows you to take control over what you children can search and consume and seconds to set up. OPTION 1: Create a 'Kids Profile' for your children to access For younger children, setting up a 'Kids' profile on Netflix will provide the piece of mind that only content based on the regulated age restricted content will be made available and targeted at their maturity level. You can select this level of access and update it as your children come of age. How to set up a 'Kids Profile': 1. Click 'Add profile'  2. Name your profile and select 'Kid?' to add the filter of only TV shows & movies for kids 12 and under that will be made available for viewing within this profile.  3. Choose the level of restrictions you would like to apply for this profile  OPTION 2: Add Parental Controls & Filters on standard Netflix profiles. Add a Parental Control Pin: You can set restrictions for the titles that young people in your household can access by setting a Parental Control Pin. This can be used to restrict the playback of certain content based on Maturity Level or by Specific Titles. The pin you set will appear when content over the certain maturity level. Place restrictions of specific titles: If you do not want specific titles appearing within the service, you can have these hidden from the library by entering the name of the show or movie you do not wish your children to view. 1. Select the profile you wish to add parental controls to and navigate to SETTINGS:  2. Create a PIN. (do not share with your children). 3. Search for titles you wish to restrict  There are a number of titles within the Netflix streaming service that are not designed for little eyes and ears. A popular original Netflix series such as 13 Reasons Why, know for being graphic and mature in nature with it's extreme view on teen life and sensationalised depiction of suicide, has been deemed by 'The National Association of School Psychologists' as highly inappropriate for vulnerable youth. There are also a number original Netflix Cartoons too crass for kids that should be on your Restrict List. |
