The Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner has joined forces with Tasmania Police to keep Tasmanian children safer online. The two agencies have inked a new agreement ensuring that concerns about serious cyberbullying and illegal online content are rapidly investigated.
'To keep kids safe online, we need to cement partnerships right across the community,' said Children’s eSafety Commissioner, Alastair MacGibbon. 'Partnering with Tasmania Police is an important step in building a national framework that deals with seriously harmful internet content.'
'Tasmania Police is pleased to be the first jurisdiction to sign up to the Memorandum of Understanding, which is designed to help protect Tasmanian children online,' said Commissioner of Police, Darren Hine.
'Under the agreement, reports to the eSafety Commissioner about bullying with a criminal element, or content such as child sex content, is quickly referred to Tasmania Police for further action,' Commissioner Hine said.
Research shows that twenty percent of 8–17 year old Australians are cyberbullied in a year. Cyberbullying can take many forms, including sending abusive texts and emails, and imitating, excluding or humiliating others online. The new agreement ensures that, where cyberbullying escalates to a potential criminal offence, police are quickly alerted.
The new agreement also sets out a pathway for rapid notification to police of illegal online content, such as child sexual abuse material. It provides for targeted reporting where the Office has evidence that illegal content is produced, hosted in, or accessed from, Tasmania.
The Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner commenced operations on 1 July 2015 as a one-stop shop for online safety.
To report serious cyberbullying or illegal and offensive online content, visit the Office of the Children’s eSafety Commissioner’s website.