Children and Media Australia: Supporting Families in the Digital World
In today’s fast-changing digital landscape, parents and educators face the constant challenge of guiding children through media environments that are exciting but complex. Children and Media Australia (CMA) provides families with trusted tools, evidence-based information, and strong advocacy to ensure children grow up in a digital world that supports their healthy development and protects their rights.
CMA’s mission is to champion the rights of Australian children as media users, empowering families with resources and practical guidance. Its vision is to help parents and children navigate digital spaces in ways that optimise wellbeing while safeguarding interests. CMA’s values recognise that children are important and have rights as media users, and that society has a role in maximising the healthy development that enables them to thrive. The organisation’s mandate is to provide families with the information, tools, and resources they need to gain maximum benefit from media while minimising risks.
One of CMA’s most valued services is the Know Before You Go service, which delivers independent and evidence-based reviews of movies. Its sister service, Know Before You Load, reviews apps. These reviews give an age-based recommendation on each piece of content, but they go far beyond that. Parents receive detailed breakdowns of issues that matter, including scary content, violent themes, privacy risks and in-app gambling features such as loot boxes. By highlighting both positives and concerns, the reviews enable families to make informed choices before their child opens an app or sits down to watch a film.
CMA also produces a wide range of “Top Tips” to help parents and educators address common challenges. These tips cover managing screen time, supporting healthy sleep routines, reducing exposure to frightening or harmful content and protecting digital privacy. The resources are written in plain language and are designed to be practical, so families can put them to use straight away.
For teachers and schools, CMA offers unique value. Educators can access resources that build media literacy and resilience in students, helping them to think critically about the media they consume. Schools also benefit from CMA’s policy advocacy, which works to ensure that education settings are supported by child-friendly media regulations and practices. By engaging with CMA, teachers and school leaders gain not only practical resources but also a partner in their work to prepare students for responsible participation in a media-saturated society.
Unlike the American site Common Sense Media, which many Australians currently turn to, CMA is local, independent, and free of charge. Our reviews and advice reflect Australian cultural norms, local streaming services and our own media classification system, making them directly relevant to the decisions families and schools face every day. By choosing CMA, parents and educators not only gain access to service designed for their context but also strengthen an organisation that advocates on their behalf with Australian policymakers to ensure stronger protections for children in media environments.
Recent developments, such as the new Australian regulations on social media use for under 16s, highlight just how important trusted guidance has become. Parents and educators are asking questions: What do these changes mean? How will they be enforced? How can families support children who are already deeply engaged online? CMA is the safe, evidence-based source to turn to for answers. By combining research, policy expertise and practical resources, CMA helps families and schools navigate new rules with clarity and confidence.
Beyond reviews and guides, CMA publishes the long-running small screen newsletter and maintains an extensive research archive for parents, teachers and professionals seeking deeper insights into the impact of media on children’s lives. The organisation also plays an active role in national policy debates, contributing submissions and campaigning to ensure that children’s rights are recognised in legislation and industry standards. CMA works not only with policymakers but also with industry, building collaborations that will help shape safer and more child-friendly media environments from the ground up.
CMA relies on the support of members, sponsors, and industry partners to continue this important work. Parents, teachers, and schools are encouraged to join as members, lending their voices to a national movement for safe and healthy media. At the same time, CMA welcomes sponsorships and partnerships with organisations that share its values and vision. These kinds of support not only sustain and expand services but also demonstrate leadership and a tangible commitment to the wellbeing of Australian children.
Families, schools, sponsors, and potential partners can explore the full range of services at childrenandmedia.org.au, become members, and get involved in advocacy campaigns that help Australian children grow up with media that supports - and doesn’t undermine - their health, wellbeing, and learning. For enquiries about membership, partnerships, or sponsorship, please contact Hon CEO, Dr Rita Princi-Hubbard, at [email protected] or President, Professor Elizabeth Handsley, at [email protected]