Latest News on Children and the Media

Editorial: Media violence hurts our children April 13, 2021

ACCM’s ongoing business is the collection, review  and dissemination of research on children’s relationships with screen media.  We note that much research in recent years is usefully focussed on topics related to children’s interactions with digital media such as cyberbullying, online safety, and read more »

March 23 e-bulletin is out now! March 23, 2021

Our latest e-bulletin is out now! This e-bulletin includes the latest in child development news and our newest movie reviews. Read it here read more »

Brands off our kids: ACCM backs move to take action on junk food advertising March 8, 2021

A new report has called on Australian governments to protect children from unhealthy food marketing and highlights research that seven in 10 adults want their children protected from junk food advertising. The Obesity Policy Coalition report, released on World Obesity Day (March 5), says children should be read more »

Editorial: Can I Have Your Attention? March 8, 2021

Everyone is competing for our attention these days - advertisers and marketers, social media and game developers all want us to stay, play and pay.  This message was brought home in last year’s powerful documentary The Social Dilemma (Netflix).  Tristan Harris of the read more »

February 23 e-bulletin is out now! February 23, 2021

Our latest e-bulletin is out now! This e-bulletin includes the latest in child development news and our newest movie reviews. Read it here   read more »

February 11 e-bulletin is out now! February 19, 2021

Our latest e-bulletin is out now! Read it here read more »

Editorial: Goodbye to C and P programs on commercial TV? February 3, 2021

The first day of the New Year saw the commencement of the new Australian and Children’s content standards for commercial free-to-air TV in Australia.    It seems unlikely that these will support the continued production and screening of quality age-appropriate programs for primary school read more »

Classification systems can impact children’s health and development: Listen here January 13, 2021

ACCM's president, Prof Elizabeth Handsley, was interviewed by Dr David Lim for Healthed's The Clinical Takeaway podcast series. The podcast has had more than 400 downloads and talks about media classifications and neuropsychological stages of development. Listen here read more »

E-bulletin: How do you discuss difficult current events with children? January 12, 2021

Our latest e-bulletin is out now! Read our latest e-bulletin newsletter here read more »

Editorial: Improving Australia's poor privacy protections December 10, 2020

  ACCM’s submission to the Attorney -General’s review of the Privacy Act (see small screen page one story) included the following concerns: THE ‘digital footprint’ of children under 15: Privacy law must regulate what data may be collected, used and disseminated by entities that engage directly with read more »

November 27 e-bulletin is out! December 1, 2020

Our latest e-bulletin is out now! Read our November 27, 2020 edition here read more »

November 20 e-bulletin is out! November 22, 2020

Our latest e-bulletin is out now! Read our November 20, 2020 edition here read more »

Take our e-safety survey! November 19, 2020

ACCM wants parents’ view on the apps their children play  - take our survey here   read more »

Editorial: Apps Can Trap November 17, 2020

By BARBARA BIGGINS CEO ACCM We all need to sit up and take notice of this finding from the ACCC report.  Sec 4.1 Despite increasing consumer concern about use of their information, new research conducted by the ACCC and AppCensus has found that consumers are tracked extensively online. Many popular read more »

ACCM submission to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child November 17, 2020

ACCM has provided feedback on the Draft General Comment No. 25 Children’s rights in relation to the digital environment (DGC). This submission has been prepared on behalf of the Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) by ACCM president, Professor Elizabeth Handsley, in consultation with the ACCM chief executive, Barbara Biggins OAM. The submission read more »