How to keep members safe online

In today’s digital world, sport doesn’t stop at the sidelines. Teams, coaches and players often connect through apps, social media and messaging platforms. 

While these tools help build community and share information, they also introduce risks. This includes privacy breaches, cyberbullying and inappropriate contact.

Data from the eSafety Commissioner highlights the risks:

Online abuse in sport happens when technology is used to threaten, bully, or harass someone. It often occurs on social media, messaging apps, forums, or gaming platforms and can target athletes, coaches, officials, or parents.

This abuse can be ongoing and seriously harm a person’s mental or physical health.

Examples of online abuse

• Teasing, name calling and putdowns
• Prejudice and hate
• Body shaming
• Trolling
• Threats and 'pile-ons'
• Doxing
• Unwanted or unsafe contact
• Cyberstalking
• Sharing a nude or sexual image or video without consent
• Sexual extortion
• Child grooming and sexual abuse

Learn more on how to recognise online abuse in sport on the eSafety website.

Staying safe online in sport – everyone has a role

No matter your role in sport, you can help create a safer online space. Here’s how.

Sport leaders, administrators and volunteers

Sport leaders are responsible for keeping members safe, both in-person and online. Key tips:

• Understand your online settings – consider where members are online as part of your sport and manage the risks.
• Know your policies and procedures – online safety is usually covered across several policies including codes of conduct, member protection, and child safeguarding.
• Set up for safety – manage your sport-run platforms and services for optimal safety including active content moderation.
• Build positive online culture in your sport – encourage reporting and talk to members about respectful and safe online conduct.
• Education and communication – build online safety skills through training and share simple online safety messages often.

For more advice visit eSafety's Online safety for sports administrators page.

Coaches and officials

Coaches and officials can have a positive influence on online safety in sport. Key tips:

• Be clear on how to treat each other and competitors online and offline.
• Outline how and where online communication will occur.
• Discuss how to deal with conflict within the team/squad/group.
• Encourage athletes and members to come forward with online issues.
• Talk about ways to deal with online misconduct, including how to report.

For more advice, including how to protect yourself visit Online safety for coaches and officials on the eSafety website.

Adult members and competitors

Athletes and competitors can take steps to protect themselves and contribute to fair play online. Key tips:

• Set up for safety – regularly review account privacy and security settings.
• Get familiar with sport policies – look at information about online conduct and making a complaint.
• Manage your digital reputation – remember that what you say and do online matters.
• Champion fair play online – support respectful and kind online behaviour, call out online abuse and help people around you.

For more advice go to Online safety for athletes and competitors on the eSafety website.

Sports management app risks

Sports management apps make admin tasks easier, but they can also create risks for your members, especially children and young people.

Key risks

• Public access to player profiles, photos and match locations
• Potential for grooming and exploitation through shared interests
• Exposure of children under protection orders or in care
• AI manipulation of images for harmful purposes
• Unmonitored chat features between children and adults
• Increased vulnerability for children with disabilities
• Weak privacy settings and potential data breaches.

Tips for administrators

When it comes to sports management apps, the first step is ensuring you are aware of what information is being collected. You may assume children’s profiles need to be public, but in many cases, profiles can be set to private.

Other tips:

• Encourage parents to talk to their child about online privacy and safety.
• Restrict access to personal information and match locations.
• Educate your sport community and members on responsible app use.
• Activate available features to limit who can access player information.
• Encourage senior leadership to engage app developers to prioritise child safety.
• Educate staff, volunteers, parents, caregivers and children and young people about your sport’s Code of Conduct, Privacy and Social Media policies in using the apps responsibly using available resources.
• Access resources from experts in child safety and digital wellbeing.