Greetings folks -
Right now, there are highly-paid political pollsters desperate to understand what the electorate wants. Which means it's the perfect time for us to strike in our campaign to get the government to take seriously the issue of digital literacy education for our kids.
And one way to apply that pressure is to use the media.
Helpfully: the national broadcaster has created an online portal calling for Australians to let them know what issues they'd like our leaders to address in this election.
If you have five minutes, and you care about digital literacy for our kids, I'd implore you to get involved.
Simply visit the ABC website via this link and enter your details. And where it asks "What do you want to tell us about? Share it here" - send them a version of the words below - taken directly from this petition (which I'm excited to say was this morning tracking towards 11,000 signatures ).
And then of course, if the ABC follow up with you and you want me to get involved, drop me a line at bryce(at)thesquiz.com.au
Because (in case it wasn't obvious) I don't intend to die wondering ...
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PETITION TEXT to copy/paste/adapt for ABC Feedback form:
"There's more information coming at our kids than at any other time in history.
The combination of social media and screen addiction has created a perfect storm. And the education system is not keeping up.
Our children need to be taught digital literacy now! To learn to 'Stop, Think and Check' before believing everything they see online. And it's a lesson they need to be taught at primary school - before they get a smart phone in their hands.
Afterall, we don't send our children to the beach without first teaching them how to swim. Why are we letting them loose on the internet without first teaching them to think critically about the information they will encounter there?
Laws to ban under 16s from social media are a step in the right direction - but to be really effective they need to be complemented by education.
Since it was launched 18 months ago, the Newshounds digital literacy program by Squiz Kids has been taken up by over 4,000 primary school classrooms around Australia. It's been assessed by the Queensland University of Technology and been found to be highly effective. But without government funding, the program may be forced to close.
We are calling on the Australian government to take seriously the issue of digital literacy education at the upcoming Federal Election by funding programs like Newshounds.
Given how mis- and disinformation is warping elections all over the world, there is nothing less important than the future of Australia’s democracy at stake."