David Crisafulli slams schools and social media giants after latest school scandal
Premier David Crisafulli has slammed schools for failing in their duty of care, and social media giants for allowing porn and other illegal material to remain on their platforms.
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Premier David Crisafulli has slammed schools for failing in their duty of care, and social media giants for allowing porn and other offensive and illegal material to remain on their platforms, demanding they “take it down”.
Speaking in the wake of yet another nude social media scandal involving children, Mr Crisafulli told the Sunday Mail: “These sickening videos must be taken down; it is not a joke or laughing matter, this is a serious crime.”
When Mr Crisafulli was contacted about the Good Shepherd Lutheran College in Noosaville – which failed to report to police the distribution of pornography by Year 7 and 8 students almost three months after being made aware of it – he said poor behaviour needed to be dealt with immediately.
“Cyber bullying in all its forms must be stamped out as too many lives have been lost and lives destroyed,” he said.
“We all have an obligation to call this abhorrent behaviour out and take action the second they’re aware of it.
“Silence will only serve to normalise these behaviours and none of us can allow that to occur.”
Mr Crisafulli lambasted tech companies for abrogating their responsibilities and said his government had boosted police resources to tackle crime in all its forms.
“Queenslanders will see our Budget delivers police the resources they need to fight crime, whether on our streets or online,” he said.
“The big tech giants also have big budgets and with that come big responsibilities.
“Monitor what is on your platforms and ensure that offensive and illegal material is taken down.
“How on earth can social media companies allow this sickening content to remain on their platforms? Take it down.”
Good Shepherd Lutheran College is the latest in a long line of schools embroiled in social media scandals.
Last month, Brisbane Boys’ College students shared “allegedly serious and potentially illegal” nude content in a group chat on social media, sparking a police investigation.
Nudgee College is investigating the creation of a “disgusting and degrading” video targeting girls from St Rita’s College. It follows a “smash or pass” controversy last year, in which photos of an entire St Rita’s cohort were shared online by a Nudgee student with his peers.
The Sunday Mail and Courier-Mail have successfully campaigned, through Let Them Be Kids, to lift the legal minimum age for social media use in Australia to 16.
Originally published as David Crisafulli slams schools and social media giants after latest school scandal
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