This section provides you with information on issues relating to online
safety, such as how to protect your children from inappropriate Web sites,
and how to ensure the security of your home computer on the Internet. Also
in this section is information on the regulatory regime governing the Internet
in Australia. We encourage you to read the following information and if
your have any further questions please contact the relevant bodies listed,
or TPG on 1300 360 855.
The Internet Industry Association
- About the IIA
- Contacting the IIA
The Australian Broadcasting Authority
- About the ABA
- Complaints
- Contacting the ABA
Filtering and control software
General Safety Information
- Passwords
- Chat Rooms
A MUST read for kids!
- 6 rules for using the Internet and Chat rooms
- Be a Cybersmart Kid
Just for parents
- Helpful rules for protecting your children when using the Internet
The Internet Industry Association
At
TPG we are proud to promote positive user relations with the Internet Industry
by encouraging the awareness of the Internet Industry Codes of Practice.
The Internet Industry Codes of practice can be viewed by clicking here.
The codes of practise are registered with and monitored by the Australian
Broadcasting Authority
(ABA), for further information regarding the ABA see below.
About the IIA
The Internet Industry Association is Australia's national Internet industry
organisation. Members include telecommunications carriers; content creators
and publishers; web developers; e-commerce traders and solutions providers;
hardware vendors; systems integrators; banks, insurance underwriters; Internet
law firms, ISPs; educational and training institutions; Internet research
analysts; and a range of other businesses providing professional and technical
support services. On behalf of its members, the IIA provides policy input
to government and advocacy on a range of business and regulatory issues,
to promote laws and initiatives, which enhance access, equity, reliability
and growth of the medium within Australia.
Contacting the IIA
If you feel the codes of practice have somehow been breeched, you should
forward your complaint to the IIA using the below contact information:
Postal Address for all correspondence:
PO Box 3986,
Manuka
ACT 2603 Australia
Phone: (02) 6232 6900
Fax: (02) 6232 6513
Email: info@iia.net.au
The Australian Broadcasting Authority
About the ABA
The ABA is an independent federal statutory authority responsible for the
regulation of free-to-air radio, television, pay TV, digital broadcasting
and Internet content in Australia.
The ABA is working with the Internet industry and the community advisory
body NetAlert to help ensure that people's use of the Internet is a positive
experience and children, in particular, are protected from material that
is unsuitable for them. While the Australian community recognises the enormous
potential of the Internet and believes there are more advantages than disadvantages,
many people also believe that there are risks.
View the ABA web site by clicking here
Complaints
If you would like to make a complaint about Internet Content, you should
first make a complaint to the owner of the site. The owner should tell you
how they intend to deal with the complaint and what opportunities are available
to you to take the matter further. If you are dissatisfied with their response
or if they do not answer your complaint within 60 days, you may then complain
to the ABA.
Contacting the ABA
Postal Address:
PO Box Q500,
Queen Victoria Building
NSW 1230 Australia
Phone: 1800 226 667 (Australia only)
Fax: (02) 9334 7799
Email: info@aba.gov.au
Filtering and Control Software
One of the
ways of minimising the risk of illegal and/or offensive content, and managing
your children/s use of the Internet, is to use a content filtering
software product. The IIA provides a list of approved content filtering
solutions on their website, and as shown below:
General Safety Information
Passwords
For general security purposes you should
regularly change your password. You
should keep your password secret, don't ever write it down and leave it
near your or any other computer.
Chat Rooms
A chat room or Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
is a place on the Internet where people with similar interests can meet and
communicate
together by typing messages on their computer. The messages in a chat
room appear instantly to everybody who is connected to that particular chat
room. As chat rooms are a potential danger to children there are a
few guidelines that they should follow. Netalert recommends
the following should be used as a guideline.
A MUST Read for Kids!
6 rules when using the Internet and Chat rooms
- Never reveal any details that could be used to physically trace you,
such as your real name, address, phone number, school name and friend’s
name.
- If something appears on the screen in front of you, and you find it disturbing,
you should let your parents, teacher or friends know.
- If you hear or see your friends not doing the right thing in a chat room,
remind them of the potential dangers and how to do the right thing.
- Chat rooms are great ways to talk to people but beware that some people
in them are not who they
say they are. If someone, or something, disturbs you in a chat room, leave
the chat room and find one where there are people you like.
- Remember not everything you read in chat rooms is true and people may
not be who they say they are. Be smart and make decisions for yourself
on what you think is right and wrong.
- Let your parents know when you have made a new friend online. If you
want to meet this new person face-to-face, you must let your parents, teacher,
carer or other responsible adult know that you have organised to meet someone.
Be a Cybersmart Kid!
The ABA’s website, Cybersmart Kids Online is a must
for kids who use the Internet. The website particularly has a list of rules
pertaining to what children should do and what they should be aware of when
surfing the Internet. These rules can help educate children about what to
do and what not to do online. To visit these rules, click
here.
Just For Parents
Hints on how to help protect your children when they are using the Internet
- Communicate regularly (not just once) with your children about what they
do online and to whom they talk online.
- Take computers out of children’s rooms and put them into public areas
such as the family room or living room.
- Help your child choose their ‘screen name’, email address or instant
messaging name wisely.
- Parents are urged to consider using technology, specifically software
to help you protect your child.
For further information you should visit the Netalert website at www.netalert.net.au
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