1. Background and Rationale

1.1 The Internet is radically changing the way we access information and communicate with people not in our immediate vicinity. It presents many opportunities and benefits.

1.2 The internet is an important communications tool of the Information Age and it is crucial that Tasmanian students learn to be able to participate effectively in the digital environments created by the Internet and other electronic media. 

1.3 The virtual world provided by the internet has some risk as well as opportunities. These risks include:

• Easy access to information that is unsuitable for children.
• Contact with individuals on the internet who may be unfriendly, rude or exploitative.
• Commercial activities and marketing on the internet.

These risks can be minimised by appropriate supervision, the use of internet filters, education and behaviour management.

2. Goal

It is intended that students in Tasmanian schools and colleges will be able to participate safely in a global information environment and learn to use the technologies needed to gain access, responsibly.

3. Requirements

3.1 Individual schools have:

• A duty of care to protect their students from material on the internet that is inappropriate for the students’ age group.
• A responsibility to skill students to deal with the wide-range and volume of material available through the internet.

3.2 Schools in the Tasmanian system will make decisions concerning the appropriate approach to fulfil their obligations based on the requirements of their school community.

Schools will fulfil their obligations through the following procedures:

• Installing an approved filtering product.
• Educating students to participate safely in an increasingly information-based society.
• Developing and using School Internet Policies which include behaviour management practices and systems for granting and removing student access privileges.
• Developing and enforcing Student Acceptable Use Agreements.
• Providing supervision appropriate to the school context.

3.3 The Department of Education has a responsibility to:

• Continue to provide professional development and direct support for the whole school staff.
• Provide access to an Internet filtering system.
• Provide guidelines and models for Internet use in schools.

3.4 Guidelines currently available include:

Conditions of use policy
Department of Education policy for all users of information and communication technology.

Web Filtering Policy
Web filtering technologies prevent access from a computer to particular types of Internet content. This policy details the requirements of web filtering for schools, libraries, online access centres, adult education and employees.

NetAlert
NetAlert is an independent community advisory body established by the Australian Government to educate Australians in managing their access to the Internet.

Cybersmart Kids Online
Cybersmart Kids Online is a community awareness project developed by the Australian Goverrnment with the objective of providing parents and children with information and tools to help them have a rewarding, productive and safe experience of the internet.