eSMART MATTERS
Digital Red Flags: A Reminder to Stay Cyber Safe
By Rowan Walker – BHCS eLearning Coordinator
Recently, I had a series of “weird” things happen with my Apple iPhone. The first one was a pop-up window that covered the entire screen while I was using an app. It was on the screen for less than a second and I didn’t quite catch all of what it said, but it mentioned something about a message from my SIM and had an Accept and Decline button on the bottom of the screen along with a <Back button at the top. I didn’t touch the screen while it was there, but I made a mental note that it might be worth wiping my phone back to factory settings just to be sure it is still secure, but since I was heading out the door, I decided it could wait until later.
While I was out, waiting for an appointment, I downloaded an app from the Apple App Store that I have previously used. It had the familiar icon that denotes an app that has been previously downloaded or purchased, so I simply pressed the button and it downloaded to my phone. When I logged in using Google, I received the expected request for authorisation through my Gmail app as expected, but as I clicked the Approve button, I registered that next to “Source” it said “Android”. Nonetheless the app I was trying to use logged in correctly, thanks to my approving the login. Still, I wondered about this as I have never seen or heard about Apple devices being mistaken for Android devices, or vice versa, when being identified through networks.
Finally, I received the confirmation email from Google that my account had been used for a new login so that I could check the details. Here I noted that the device listed as the model number for a Samsung Galaxy.
While I haven’t heard of this happening recently, it occurred to me that all of these events together could indicate that someone had managed to clone my phone to another device, thereby gaining access to all of my data and being able to see everything I was doing. As soon as I was able to, I reset my phone, changed my passwords swapped out my physical SIM card for an eSIM with the help of Telstra. I have since been monitoring all of my accounts and, thankfully, there has been no further “weird” things happen, but it was a good reminder for me of the importance of being vigilant for anything out of the ordinary and to make sure that we know who to ask for help if things happen. And, to know how to monitor the security features of all accounts that we use regularly.
So, you've watched Adolescence... where to turn for advice
By the esafety commissioner (Australian Government)
For any parent who has watched the Netflix drama Adolescence and was left highly disturbed by the harmful impact that social media is having on young men and boys, you are not alone.
It’s hard to think of a show has captured the world’s attention so fully and shone a much-needed light on the dangerous impact of misogynistic content, algorithms and influencers on the minds of young men and boys.
Shockingly, despite our best efforts as parents to raise great kids, it is not a fair fight when tech companies and algorithms can influence our teenagers within a matter of seconds.
As Australia’s national online safety educator, nothing is more important to us than ensuring young people are safe to create, connect and explore the wonders of technology and the internet. It’s what motivates us in every aspect of our work, whether we’re connecting with educators, parents and young people to develop digital literacy and resilience resources, encouraging the tech industry to take a Safety by Design approach by putting safety at the forefront of the design, or developing guidance to prevent under 16-year-olds from having accounts on certain social media services.
Resources to help you and your community navigate the risks facing young people online:
Register for our free 45-minute parent webinar, Exploring the online experiences of boys and young men, to understand the impact of social media, gaming, and influencers on attitudes, behaviours and sense of identity.
Listen to ABC Fran Kelly and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant unpack the themes of Adolescence including toxic masculinity and the online manosphere.
Listen to ABC Big Ideas! to hear eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant and other experts in their fields discuss how parents can better support young people to navigate the risks and threats online.
Read our blog about how eSafety is shining a light on the dark forces manipulating our teenagers.
Read eSafety's young men online research series which explores young men's experiences and how they can be supported to develop healthy and positive masculinities.
For the young person in your life: explore our resources for young people
Helping your family stay safe on devices and apps
New built-in restrictions for Instagram Teen Accounts
Teens under 16 won’t be able to go Live or turn off protections from unwanted images in DMs without a parent’s permission under additional Instagram Teen Account protections. Meta, who own Instagram and Facebook, are also planning to make Teen Accounts available on Facebook and Messenger. Find out more
Apple adds child safety measures
Apple is introducing new measures to the App Store to better protect young people online. It’s part of a broader effort to minimise data collection and give parents more control over what's shared with app developers. Parents will be able to update their child's account age if they previously set it incorrectly, and will be able to consent to their child's age range being shared with app developers so they'll be shown more age-appropriate content in the App Store. Read more in Apple’s Helping Protect Kids Online White Paper.
TikTok introduces new family features
TikTok has introduced new family pairing features giving parents additional tools to set boundaries and customise limits. A new in-app meditation feature is designed to help teens wind down after they use TikTok after 10pm. Find out more about TikTok and how to report online abuse or block someone by referring to the eSafety Guide.