Editorial: Much work to be done to shield children from the dangers of digital age

MUCH needs to be done to shield children from the dangers of the digital age. Educating young people and their parents on the subject is a start.

• Sexting: Avalanche of violent porn corrupting our young
• Generation sext: Eradicating sexting scourge a priority
• Sexting: Who is to blame for our kids’ sexting scourge
• Generation sext: Girl, 4, sexually assaulted by boy, 9
• Sexting: Should teens be left to their own devices?

WHEN news broke in August that clothed, semi-nude or naked images of young female students from 71 Australian schools – 17 of which were in Queensland – were posted on a website called “Aussie Sluts” where such digital photographs were sourced, traded or sold, there was outrage and shock.

The dark story behind this was that many young girls had allowed images to be taken, often pressured into doing so by teenage boys in whom they had placed trust. It is happening right now, this weekend and will probably keep happening.

As our reporting today in Qweekend and The Courier-Mail reveals, this is a scourge in suburbs and towns around our state usually occurring without the slightest suspicion of parents.

Mobile phones have changed so much of how we live and how we communicate. They have also transformed the lives of our children.

Each phone is also a camera and images can be exchanged in an instant. It’s not just texting photos that need to be monitored but also exchange sites like Snapchat.

In talking to young people we have discovered that almost all high school students are aware of people they know who have taken part in sexting – even if they haven’t engaged in it themselves.

These young people explain there is great pressure from friends – especially boys asking girls – to engage in sexting and that “no” is not taken easily as an answer.

What young people have to realise is that this is not some fleeting prank that will disappear when they “grow up”. These images live on and can turn up on sites such as “Aussie Sluts”. Web scraping is an internet tool that uses programs to search for information but at the dark end of the digital world it can be used for sinister and horrific purposes.

Once someone sends an image to someone else it is out of their control and can turn up to harm their life, a potential career or a future relationship. It is why thinking before you send is the least you can do. Parents need to take a role and, if necessary, intrude into the digital world of their children.

Asking teenage children what is on their phones and what they are doing with their friends is not something parents should be afraid to do. The consequences of sexting need to be explained and explicit warnings need to be given.

In the coming weeks, The Courier-Mail, in partnership with the State Government and Channel 7, will do its bit by educating readers, talking with young people and parents about the issues and seeking answers from policy makers, politicians and law enforcement representatives about how this problem can best be tackled.

In just under two weeks we will host a forum, Generation Sext, at the State Library and we would urge as many readers as possible to attend. Unity of purpose and resolve is an essential first step.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Lachlan Heywood, corner of Mayne Road & Campbell Street, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND. (ACN 009 661 778)