Play School teams up for tech safety

Big Ted, Jemima and their friends from Play School have teamed up with the eSafety Commissioner to help families with young children start 2020 with good online safety habits through a Family Tech Agreement. 

The Family Tech Agreement is designed to make it easier for parents and carers to set boundaries around the use of digital devices like tablets, smart TVs and gaming consoles, with Play School characters included to help young children understand each rule.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the amount of time spent online is a concern for many parents, and the Family Tech Agreement was a great way to have conversations and manage expectations around technology use, from an early age.

The rules support families to keep children safe online, and also encourage kindness when using technology, a move designed to help limit potential ‘tech tantrums’.

Rules include asking before using a device or playing a new game online, only using devices in shared spaces of the home and only talking to people you know online.

Amanda Isdale, ABC Children’s Development and Co-Production Manager, said the broadcaster was excited to collaborate with the eSafety Commissioner on the Family Tech Agreement. 

“Young children are surrounded by technology, so with the help of the Play School toys (trusted friends of our audience) we’re giving them the best tools to navigate the digital world to ensure they have a safe and positive experience online,” she added.

Federal Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts Paul Fletcher said it was important for parents and carers to help children to establish healthy habits with digital devices, encouraging those with children to  download the Family Tech Agreement and start having conversations about online safety from a young age.

The Family Tech Agreement is the first of eSafety’s newly developed Early Years resources which will be rolled out in 2020 to support children under the age of five years, their families and early childhood educators.

Advice about choosing good online content for young children is also now available on the esafety site, here.