Screen and digital media are playing a bigger role than ever in children's lives. In 2023, nearly 22% of Australian children aged 5-14 years spent 20 hours or more per week on screen-based activities. Screens are here to stay, so it is crucial for us all to pull together to ensure they deliver the best possible, age-appropriate experiences for every child.
The Australian government has been trying to get the tech giants to do their bit, and to keep children away from what's harmful. But who is helping families to find positive screen experiences?
We are!
Please donate to enable Children and Media Australia to keep doing our essential work. We are firmly established as the peak body collecting research-based information about what growing children need from screen-based media, and what can be harmful. Then we spread the word through our award-winning movie review service, Know Before You Go. Our reviewers have qualifications in child development and see every movie through that lens, generating age-based recommendations and prompts for conversations to develop children's skills as critical viewers.
Our reviews are based on the Australian classification system, except they pick up where that system leaves off. It doesn't give age-based recommendations, we do. It doesn't address modern-day concerns, like product placement and discrimination. We do. As one parent of an 8-year-old said to us:
I appreciate the details about the themes in films, particularly because some themes might generate a PG or M rating that I consider worth exploring with my kid, while others with more ‘kid friendly’ ratings have themes that are supposedly innocuous but actually reinforce cultural and gender stereotypes that are potentially harmful and too often go unchecked. The detail in reviews always lets me make an informed decision that suits us.
CMA is a unique organisation, giving families all over Australia the tools to create a screen environment where their children can grow up happy and healthy. But we can't do it without you.
Thanks in advance for any support you can provide!
Yes
Yes, as soon as your donation is processed.
Screen and digital media are playing a bigger role than ever in children's lives. In 2023, nearly 22% of Australian children aged 5-14 years spent 20 hours or more per week on screen-based activities. Screens are here to stay, so it is crucial for us all to pull together to ensure they deliver the best possible, age-appropriate experiences for every child.
The Australian government has been trying to get the tech giants to do their bit, and to keep children away from what's harmful. But who is helping families to find positive screen experiences?
We are!
Please donate to enable Children and Media Australia to keep doing our essential work. We are firmly established as the peak body collecting research-based information about what growing children need from screen-based media, and what can be harmful. Then we spread the word through our award-winning movie review service, Know Before You Go. Our reviewers have qualifications in child development and see every movie through that lens, generating age-based recommendations and prompts for conversations to develop children's skills as critical viewers.
Our reviews are based on the Australian classification system, except they pick up where that system leaves off. It doesn't give age-based recommendations, we do. It doesn't address modern-day concerns, like product placement and discrimination. We do. As one parent of an 8-year-old said to us:
I appreciate the details about the themes in films, particularly because some themes might generate a PG or M rating that I consider worth exploring with my kid, while others with more ‘kid friendly’ ratings have themes that are supposedly innocuous but actually reinforce cultural and gender stereotypes that are potentially harmful and too often go unchecked. The detail in reviews always lets me make an informed decision that suits us.
CMA is a unique organisation, giving families all over Australia the tools to create a screen environment where their children can grow up happy and healthy. But we can't do it without you.
Thanks in advance for any support you can provide!
Yes
Yes, as soon as your donation is processed.
