Originally published: Medianet, 15 September 2026
New research by Good Things Australia highlights why adults must remain front of mind as Australia develops its digital duty of care.
- 53% are worried scams are becoming harder to spot
- Only 30% feel confident they can avoid scams online
- Just 28% feel confident managing their privacy and safety settings
As banking, government services, appointments and everyday communication increasingly move online, new research shows many Australians do not feel equipped to navigate the risks that come with it.
A nationally representative survey of 2,000 Australian adults found just 31% feel confident telling the difference between reliable and unreliable information online, while more than one in five (22%) want more education on how to stay safer online.
Good Things Australia says the findings are particularly timely as the Australian Government develops its proposed Digital Duty of Care. An exposure draft released this week would require online services to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harms to Australians. While much of the recent online safety debate has focused on children and young people, adults who are less confident online also need to remain front of mind as the reforms take shape.
This research by Good Things Australia was conducted in August 2026 among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 Australians aged 18 and over. The sample was weighted against ABS data for age, gender and location. The online survey was independently conducted by Pureprofile. As the research was conducted online, people experiencing the highest levels of digital exclusion may be underrepresented. The true impact of digital exclusion may therefore be greater than these findings indicate.
