Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

eSafety has co-created advice and resources to help keep our mob safe online.

eSafety acknowledges that many individuals refer to themselves by their clan, mob and or country. For the purposes of this website, we respectfully use the term ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ throughout.

On this page:

• Serious online abuse
• Illegal and restricted online content
• New online safety laws
• Technology-facilitated abuse
• Keeping kids safe online
• Everyone can get online and stay safe

Our research shows that some individuals and communities are more at-risk of being targeted online, and at-risk of serious harm, due to a range of intersectional factors. These factors include race, religion, cultural background, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and mental health conditions. The risk can also increase because of situational vulnerabilities, such as being impacted by domestic and family violence.

eSafety has legal powers to help protect people who live in Australia from the most serious online abuse and harmful content. This includes cyberbullying of children, adult cyber abuse and image-based abuse (sharing intimate images without the consent of the person shown). The harmful content can posted publicly or communicated through an online or electronic service or platform, including social media, games, chat apps, emails, messages (including SMS), forums and websites. 

Cyberbullying of children: If seriously harmful content is sent to a child or young person under 18, or shared about them, it is called 'cyberbullying'. The content can be seriously threatening, seriously intimidating, seriously harassing and/or seriously humiliating. If the online service or platform used to send or share the harmful content does not help, eSafety can investigate and have the content removed. Read our advice about how to deal with cyberbullying.

Adult cyber abuse: If content sent to an adult or shared about them is menacing, harassing or offensive and also intended to seriously harm their physical or mental health, it is called 'adult cyber abuse'. If the online service or platform used to send or share the harmful content does not help, eSafety can investigate and have the content removed. Read our advice about how to deal with adult cyber abuse.

Image-based abuse: If someone shares, or threatens to share, an intimate image or video without the consent of the person shown, it is called 'image-based abuse'. This includes images and videos that show someone without attire of religious or cultural significance that they would normally wear in public (such as a niqab or turban). Image-based abuse should be reported to eSafety immediately, so we can have the harmful content removed. Read our advice about how to deal with image-based abuse.

Illegal and restricted online content is the worst type of harmful online material. It shows or encourages violent crimes including child sexual abuse, terrorist acts, murder, attempted murder, rape, torture, violent kidnapping and suicide. Illegal and restricted online content should be reported to eSafety immediately, so we can have it removed. Read our advice about how to deal with illegal and restricted content.

Keeping kids safe online

Kids are growing up in two worlds, the real world and an online world. Just like you protect kids from dangers in the real world, it is important to protect their safety in their online world too.

The resources on this page can help parents and carers look after their kids and communities.

You’ll also find lots of tips for keeping kids safe online in eSafety Parents

Explore the Be Deadly Online resources

eSafety worked with several Aboriginal communities to develop the material for Be Deadly Online. This educational material is designed for young people and community groups.

Watch this video

Download, read and share this free online safety book

Download and display these posters

Listen to these podcasts