Research from Optustoday reveals that in this digital age,83%of Australian parents areinterested about learning how they canbest protecttheir child's internet safety and security with almost half of Australian parents(45%)not having existing measures in place to protect their childrenonline.
As part of a national survey conducted by Optus, over 1,000 Australian parents were asked about their childrens internet and technology usage and their concerns about protecting their families online.
Based on these findings, Optus has developed a solution for Australian parents - theOptusFamily Plan - which launches today.
Matt Williams, Managing Director Marketing & Revenue at Optus said:
More than ever before, families rely on technology to stay connected. It's no secret that children are very active online, whether it be for social, gaming or education purposes and it's crucial parents are equipped with the best possible solutions to keep their families safe online.
At Optus we are stepping up to the challenge with an affordable family plan. With 67% of Australian parents believing that companies like ours could be doing more to support them when it comes to protecting their children online, we feel like there is no better time to be launching these plans.
Mr Williams said as families nationwide are now spending the majority of their time at home,there is naturally an even greater reliance on them staying connected via their devices, which in turn creates additional pressure for parents to be able to monitortheir childrens online activities.
As a telecommunications company, we believe we have a responsibility to help parents ensure their kids have the best possible experience online, so the launch of this family plan comes at a much-needed time.
The Optus Family plan connects the family with four SIMs and a massive 250GB of monthly data to share, bringing families closer in more ways than one.
The plan also incorporates a suite of tools that help families ensure positive use of phones and connections including a subscription to McAfeeSafe Family app,at no additional cost andaccess to ourCyberEducationHub, includingDigital Thumbprintcontent to providedigital know-how for parents and kids.
This plan also offersa unique first phone experience,leveragingthe excitement of buying a first phone and empowering kids to use their first mobile responsibly.
Key findings
Two-thirds of Aussie parentsare concerned for their childrens internetsecurity and safety(65%) but 45% of Aussie parents arent sure, ordont currently have any safety measuresin place.
The research found that the main concern for Australian parents regarding their childrens internet safety is their access toinappropriate content,followed bycyberbullyingandinternet addiction.
While technology plays a lesser role for children four years of age and under, this rapidly increases amongst5-10 yearoldsand is a major part of teenagers lives. Over72% of children in Australia have access to two or more devicesin a typical day.
Aroundhalf of Aussie kids know the password to their parents phone(51%) or iPad (48%).
Navigating the challenges around the rapidly increasing role of technology in childrens lives, parents say that building and maintaining astrong and trusted relationshipwith their child is pivotal.
