Tech pioneer: parents must take the lead on kids' digital safety
Parents must teach their children digital safety, not outsource it to schools or governments.
George Fong, a Ballarat tech pioneer who helped build Australia's internet in the 1990s, says parents cannot outsource digital safety to schools or government. The same generation that said yes to apps and ChatGPT now asks others to protect their children.
Parents would never let toddlers run into the sea unattended. Parents would never give a teenager car keys without teaching them to drive.
Yet many treat technology differently. Fong urges parents to learn what their children do online.
They should sit down with them and watch videos together. Talk about privacy, data protection, and real risks.
Resources exist through federal and state governments and dedicated groups. Some parents are the only cavalry coming.
Teaching digital navigation starts with adults taking responsibility.
- Ballarat tech pioneer
- George Fong
- Australia, 1990s
- Built internet
Why it mattersAs children spend more time online, where they learn to use digital tools safely depends almost entirely on what their own parents teach them.
AustraliaAustralian families face a growing challenge with children's online safety, and the responsibility lies with each parent rather than any government program.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
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