Balancing risk and reward: Parenting in the digital world

• Parental concerns about the risks of children being online are much more prominent than the perceived benefits.
• Most parents and caregivers (83%) believe they talk openly with their children about online challenges, but some (26%) don’t feel fully aware of their children’s online activities.
• Nearly all parents and caregivers are aware of their children’s use of social media, communication platforms and online games. However, a significant minority are unaware of their children’s use of emerging technologies, such as generative AI, virtual reality and haptic technologies. Additionally, many don’t know that their children have engaged in behaviour that may expose them to greater risk online, such as online dating and live location sharing outside their family.
• Many parents and caregivers (58%) feel they struggle to keep their children safe online, although almost as many (46%) believe their children can look after themselves online.
• Almost all parents and caregivers (92%) have rules in place to help their children stay safe online, and many (68%) monitor their child’s online activities to support their online safety. The use of parental controls is also common, but not universal, with 29% of parents and caregivers not using this form of technical mediation.
• Most parents and caregivers (84%) have open conversations with their children about online safety and encourage them to seek support when something goes wrong online.
• Almost all parents and caregivers (93%) discuss online safety with their children, but sensitive and emerging risks, such as sexual extortion (8%), how generative AI can be used or misused (11%) and algorithmic influences (26%), are less likely to be addressed.
• Perceptions of children’s online lives and approaches to digital parenting evolve as children age and differ in some respects according to child gender.
• Parents’ and caregivers’ confidence with technology, personal experience of online harm and their own gender may influence their digital parenting practices.

The report concludes with a discussion of how these findings might be used to ensure all parents and caregivers feel confident and equipped to help their children maximise the benefits and minimise the risks of being online.

This research draws on data from eSafety’s ‘Keeping Kids Safe Online’ survey.

The survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of children aged 10 to 17 years living in Australia and their parent or caregiver. A total of 3,454 children and their parent or caregiver participated in the survey. Two weeks after completion of the core survey, children were recontacted and asked additional questions, with 2,302 children included in the recontact survey.

eSafety’s Parents section has information for parents and carers, including information and advice about helping children stay safe online.

eSafety’s Kids and Young People sections provide useful information to help children and teens stay safe online.

eSafety's Social media age restrictions hub provides information for young people and families to help them understand and adapt to the changes following the implementation of the age restrictions.