Australia’s eSafety study examines children’s digital habits
Parents across Australia are actively supporting children’s safe online experiences.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has published two studies showing that parents are helping children develop safe digital habits from an early age, while highlighting growing gaps in awareness of newer online risks such as generative AI, algorithmic recommendations and online sexual extortion.
The research found that Australian parents actively supervise their children’s online activities, establish rules for internet use and regularly discuss online safety.
Among children aged three to ten, almost all had used the internet outside school or childcare settings, while nearly nine in ten parents had discussed online safety and around half allowed internet use only under parental supervision. However, significantly fewer parents had spoken about algorithmic recommendations or exposure to sexual content online.
The second report, covering children aged 10 to 17, found similarly high levels of parental engagement, with most parents regularly discussing online safety, setting internet rules and providing ongoing guidance. However, conversations about emerging risks were far less common: only 26% had discussed how algorithms shape online content, 11% had spoken about generative AI and just 8% had addressed online sexual extortion.
The eSafety Commissioner said digital parenting should evolve alongside children’s online experiences and stressed that responsibility should not rest solely with parents.
To support the families, eSafety has expanded access to practical resources, including webinars, guidance materials and conversation tools designed to help families navigate changing online technologies and risks.
Why does it matter?
The findings suggest that while many parents have successfully integrated online safety into everyday family life, digital literacy is struggling to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies. Emerging issues such as generative AI, algorithm-driven content and online exploitation require new forms of guidance that extend beyond traditional internet safety advice.
The research also reinforces the idea that protecting children online is a shared responsibility. Alongside parents, governments, schools and technology companies all have a role in ensuring that children develop the knowledge and skills needed to navigate an increasingly complex digital environment.
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