Australia's eSafety regulator reports on children's chatbot use; teens more likely to tell AI than authorities about online sexual harm
Australia's eSafety Commissioner has published its findings on children's use of AI chatbots. Another source reports that Australian teens are more likely to turn to a chatbot than to the authorities when disclosing online sexual harm.
Who is affected and how
- parent
- Make clear to your child that, in cases of online abuse, they can also turn to a real adult or the authorities.
- school leader
- Reporting channels should be designed so that pupils do not trust only the chatbot.
- education policymaker
- The visibility of official reporting routes needs to improve.
Sources
- Your kids are talking to AI chatbots: what eSafety foundthegen.com.au · Oct 22, 2026
- Children using AI chatbots like a friend: Internet Matters' 2025 UK survey found 35% of child chatbot users say it feels like talking to a friend and 12% say they have no one else to talk to | The Signalautonomycommission.com · Oct 23, 2026
- Australian teens turn to AI chatbots more than authorities to disclose online sexual harmthe star · Oct 19, 2026
Machine-generated summary based on the titles and excerpts of the source articles. The facts come from the linked article.