Latest News on Children and the Media

Five reasons to have your say on the government's classification review February 13, 2020

  Now is your chance to tell the Federal Government what you think of Australia's classification system. Many parents tell us they want more information that is useful for choosing movies for young children. You have until February 19, 2020, to make a submission.   Opportunity  You know read more »

Editorial: Let’s be bold with classification review February 4, 2020

  IF OUR classification system is to provide better protections for children, those of us with strong views about what needs to change must be bold in putting them forward in these next few weeks. But even more importantly, those managing the review need to be bold read more »

Outstanding new book about video games January 30, 2020

Outstanding new book about video games Game On! Sensible Answers about Video Games and Media Violence is a great resource for anyone wanting to know the facts about media violence to help in decision making and guidance.    ACCM’s President, Prof Elizabeth Handsley, says “the authors know exactly what questions need answering and read more »

Australian Government launches classification review January 13, 2020

The Federal Government has announced a review of the Australian classification scheme for "today's digital environment". The government website says the scheme, which was formed in 1995 in the age of dial-up internet, needs to be updated to meet modern forms of media, including the streaming services. "The current system was not read more »

Australia’s national classification scheme has 'reel' problems November 25, 2019

MORE than 75 per cent of Australian parents of young children say the PG category for films, games and apps is too broad. And 88 per cent of them think an age-based system would be more useful to them than the present one. These are the findings of an online read more »

Code of ethics review consultation extended November 18, 2019

Public consultation on a review of the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA)'s code of ethics has been extended. In an email to ACCM, the AANA said a "number of stakeholders have asked for and been granted extensions so the Code review is still receiving further input". The email also said the Code would read more »

New government classification website to be launched November 12, 2019

New government classification website to be launched  The Federal Government will launch a new classification website on Wednesday, November 13. The assistant secretary of the communications and the arts departments' classification branch, Aaron O'Neill, emailed "key stakeholders" on Tuesday, November 12, to advise them of the new website. In the email, Mr O'Neill said read more »

Our president's challenge for action at the digital environments and developing minds conference November 12, 2019

Our president's challenge for action at the Digital environments and developing minds conference ACCM president Elizabeth Handsley's presentation Responsibilities and rights: stepping up to the plate is now available online via PowerPoint presentation and discusses the rights of children for protection from harm as well as to media that benefitted them, and for read more »

Ad Standards rules only one It: Chapter Two promo is "excessively menacing" October 17, 2019

Ad Standards rules only one It: Chapter Two promo is "excessively menacing" - despite many parents complaining of "confronting" posters and trailers  A BILLBOARD advertisement for the horror movie It: Chapter Two - featuring the title character's mouth dripping blood - has been deemed as "excessively menacing" by the Ad Standards community panel. The panel ruled last read more »

Read our October 10 e-bulletin! October 10, 2019

Read our latest E-Bulletin here The ACCM E-Bulletin October 10, 2019 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 »

$35m for international research into children born into digital age September 24, 2019

QUT will lead international research documenting what life is like when born into the digital age Education Minister Dan Tehan has announced the federal government will spend $34.9 million setting up an Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child based out of the Queensland read more »

ACCM: Advertising code of ethics fails to protect children September 17, 2019

  ACCM: Advertising code of ethics fails to protect children  Rules around advertising for violent and horrific films need to be tightened, ACCM says. The Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM) will urge the Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), in its review of its code read more »

IT: Chapter 2 raises fresh concerns about horror movie promo and children September 17, 2019

Source: 9 News screenshot  Horror movie promotions: impacts on children not understood “Horror movies promoted using graphic outdoor posters, and trailers on TV and the internet, are scaring young children, and putting them at risk of long term problems. The government needs to read more »

International expert to keynote event August 15, 2019

AN expert in media in the lives of young people will headline the Digital Environments and Developing Minds: Research and Strategies for Professionals, Producers and Policy Makers conference in Sydney on October 28. Dr Jessica Taylor Piotrowski is an associate professor working in the Amsterdam School of Communication Research section read more »

SBS to screen new drama focusing on students and social media use July 30, 2019

Young people's explicit use of social media will be one of the focuses of a new mini-series debuting in August on SBS.  The Hunting, starring Asher Keddie and Richard Roxburgh, tells the story of two high school teachers who discover students are sharing sexually explicit images of their underage peers on read more »