The Albanese Government is supporting better online experiences for First Nations people as new research shows that more young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are turning to technology for cultural expression and engagement.
Findings released today by the eSafety Commissioner reveal First Nations youth are collectively using the internet in greater than average numbers to explore the world, make new friends, connect with people from different backgrounds, and discuss social or political issues.
eSafety’s research, Cool, Beautiful, Strange and Scary: the online experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their parents and care givers, shows that First Nations youth are almost twice as likely as young Australians overall to post original video or music online, and more than twice as likely to post their own story or blog.
Troublingly, the research report also shows that First Nations youth face a greater risk of exposure to a range of other harmful content and are nearly three times more likely to report experiencing hate speech.
The results come as eSafety releases a comprehensive suite of resources aimed at helping First Nations communities online. Available at eSafety.gov.au/firstnations, the resources include new video and audio content in multiple languages.
More information is available from the Minister for Communications media release.