Shouldn’t all kids be safe online at school?

The UN Rights of the Child state that children should be safe online at school.

In today’s digital age, our primary school students in Aotearoa are navigating a world of both incredible learning opportunities and significant risks. While the internet can be a powerful educational tool, it also exposes our kids to harmful content, cyberbullying, and online predators. And there is a significant gap in terms of how school leaders and educators are equipped to deal with this.

This is why we’re calling for robust and effective online safety measures in schools. See our media coverage below to understand the current issues.

View media coverage of this investigation

According to the NZ Classifications Office :
+ 46% of popular pornographic material viewed by New Zealanders contains incest themes,
+ 35% features non-consensual acts, and
+ a staggering 69% of young people aged 14-17 have witnessed violent or aggressive content.

Exposure to such content can cause immediate trauma and have lasting effects, shaping how young people view relationships and consent. This material normalizes violence against women, children, and even animals.

The evolution of digital media in the last two decades demands a fresh regulatory approach, one that prioritizes the well-being of our most vulnerable: our tamariki and rangatahi.

Given our nation’s distressing rates of sexual abuse against women and children, it’s clear we need preventative action. Protecting our young people requires creating a safer digital landscape, and that starts with the Ministry of Education taking immediate action to ensure schools are safe environments where harmful content cannot reach our tamariki.

It’s time to prioritize the safety and well-being of our children and make their learning day free from online threats.