Latest News on Children and the Media

Statement on young children and digital technologies launched at the 2018 ECA National Conference September 22, 2018

 Early Childhood Australia (ECA) has launched an important statement which recognises the increasing role of interactive and digital technologies in the lives of young children. The Statement, developed in consultation with the sector and under the guidance of ECA’s Digital Policy Group, provides an evidence base from which educators can read more »

Read the latest E-Bulletin September 18, 2018

The ACCM E-Bulletin 18 September 2018 is now available. Read it here Sign up to receive the fortnightly E-Bulletin on Facebook or with the form on our Contact page read more »

September 10-16 is Media Literacy Week in Australia September 10, 2018

Check out the ABC website for information, a news diet challenge, and resources for students and teachers to help you navigate the modern media landscape.  read more »

Why it’s time to end the policy limbo threatening Australian children’s TV September 6, 2018

Anna Potter writes for the conversation on the uncertain fate of local content quotas and funding for original local children’s TV.  Read the full article on the conversation website read more »

It's National eSmart Week - 2-8 September 2018 September 4, 2018

National eSmart Week is dedicated to building an eSmart Australia. It is a week where communities come together to encourage everyone to be smart, safe and responsible when using digital technology. It creates awareness, solutions and ideas for community education on issues of cyber safety, bullying and wellbeing online, and read more »

Read our latest E-Bulletin September 3, 2018

The ACCM E-Bulletin 30 August 2018 is now available. Read it here Sign up to receive the fortnightly E-Bulletin on Facebook or with the form on our Contact page read more »

Do loot boxes in games = gambling? ACCM says yes. August 23, 2018

Read our Submission to the Senate Environment and Communications References Committee Inquiry into gaming micro-transactions for chance-based items  read more »

Invitation to participate in study of online behaviour and cyberbullying August 14, 2018

You are invited to participate in a 7-nation study of online behaviour and cyberbullying being conducted by Dr Wayne Warburton, Karolina Strozek and Dr Chris Barlett. Participants must reside in Australia, speak English adequately and be 18-25 years old. Participants will go into a draw to win a $50.00 gift voucher. If read more »

Fastfood industry criticised over continued marketing to children - new Australian report July 26, 2018

The Obesity Policy Coalition (OPC) report claims that fast food retailers, including McDonald’s, have failed to protect children from exposure to junk food marketing, despite the introduction of self-regulated codes in 2009 that promised to do just that. OPC Executive Manager, Jane Martin, claims that the bar is set “too low”, read more »

New UK report - The design strategies keeping children online July 12, 2018

The UK group 5Rights Foundation has just published its report, “Disrupted childhood: the cost of persuasive design”. The report explains how persuasive design strategies, deployed to maximise the collection of personal data, impact on children’s social, mental and physical development. It “highlights how automated technology both leverages and reinforces read more »

WHO confirms “gaming disorder” as a mental health disorder July 5, 2018

On 18 June the World Health Organization (WHO) released its new International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). And for the first time WHO is classifying gaming disorder as an addictive behaviour disorder so now it will be possible to measure how many people are affected. read more »

Call for submissions - have your say about Children's Rights in Australia May 14, 2018

Australia is currently preparing for its appearance before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. This Committee monitors Australia’s progress in fulfilling its obligations under: the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale read more »

Read the latest E-Bulletin May 3, 2018

The ACCM E-Bulletin 3 May 2018 is now available. Read it here Sign up to receive the fortnightly E-Bulletin on Facebook or with the form on our Contact page read more »

Read the latest E-Bulletin April 23, 2018

The ACCM E-Bulletin 19 April 2018 is now available. Read it here Sign up to receive the fortnightly E-Bulletin on Facebook or with the form on our Contact page read more »

New Adelaide research: Children watching TV for 80 minutes a day see 800 junk food ads per year April 17, 2018

The research, led by the University of Adelaide’s Associate Professor Lisa Smithers and funded by the Heart Foundation, showed that children were exposed to twice as much unhealthy food advertising as healthy food advertising. Junk food ads are shown more frequently on TV at times when many children are watching.  read more »