Computerworld

ACMA launches Indigenous cyber safety campaign

Videos encourage Indigenous people to 'be deadly online'

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has launched cyber safety videos and resources to discourage cyber bullying amongst Indigenous communities around Australia.

The resources were developed with input from communities including the Yarrabah of North Queensland, Victoria and Gasgoyne region of Western Australia.

The cyber safety campaign is called 'Be Deadly Online' ('deadly' is slang for awesome or good).

The videos cover sexting, cyber bullying and people's digital footprint.

Speaking at the campaign launch in Melbourne today, ACMA deputy chair Richard Bean said that over a number of years it had received concerns about misuse of social media and cyber bullying from Indigenous leaders and community police officers.

“If our programs are to be of relevance for Indigenous people, we need to tailor the program for them. We were armed with feedback from these discussions with Indigenous leaders. This extensive feedback helped to shape these [online] resources.”

In June 2013, a report by the Joint Select Committee on Cyber Safety found that cyber bullying via mobile phones is affecting Indigenous Australians in urban and rural areas.

According to the report, cyber bullying can relate to an ongoing family or language group conflict which could impact a whole community.

“Many Indigenous Australians have low levels of digital literacy skills and therefore they lack the ability to use the Internet themselves or to supervise their children online,” read the report.

It suggested that providing information to parents and older community members about mobile phone and social networking usage may help to establish engagement between older and younger generations.

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