The eSafety Commission is to launch an Online Safety Youth Advisory Council aimed at making the online world safer for young Australians — in particular holding social media platforms to account.
Announced by Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, the Council is to be made up of around 20 young Australians aged between 13 and 24.
“They will have a direct voice to Government on the challenges and solutions to online safety issues that impact young people,” Mr Morrison said.
He said eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant would coordinate the Council, with the nomination and selection process to begin in early 2022.
Ms Inman Grant welcomed the announcement, noting that young people did not differentiate between their online and offline lives.
“It is vitally important to have their voices heard when developing online safety policy,” Ms Inman Grant said.
“Since our inception in 2015, the eSafety Commission has had a strong engagement focus with children and young people, working with them to understand their online experiences and address their concerns.”
The Commissioner said the eSafety Commission had developed resources to help build skills and capacity in young people, so they could have safe online experiences and act as positive leaders and supportive friends in all their social spaces, especially online.
“We know that the online safety of children and young people requires targeted resources, long-term commitments and a whole-of-community and systems-based effort,” she said.
“Most importantly, we need to hear directly from young people.
“The Online Safety Youth Advisory Council will enable us to formalise our engagement with young people,” Ms Inman Grant said.
The nomination and selection process for the Youth Advisory Council is to be announced in early 2022.
