Fear over children's online activity

Parents are "totally oblivious" to their children's online habits and activities even though a new survey shows nine in 10 claim they monitor their children's internet usage.

The survey from online security firm, Garlik also shows the risks children are taking online.

One in five of the 500 children aged between eight and 15 admitted to meeting someone they first encountered on the internet, according to Garlik.

However, the survey showed just under a tenth (seven per cent) of the 500 parents taking part in the survey were aware that this was happening.

Monitoring online activity is not as effective as parents may believe as more than half of the eight to 15 year olds questioned admitted to surfing the internet when their parents were unaware, often late at night.

Four in 10 children also confessed to regularly visiting websites specifically prohibited by their parents.

The children also admitted handing out sensitive personal information without parental consent. This included full name (30 per cent), home address (12 per cent), mobile number (20 per cent), home telephone number (10 per cent), school details (46 per cent) and family photos (nine per cent), something Tom Ilube, CEO at Garlik, described as “a shocking wake-up call to all parents in the UK”.

John Carr, internet safety consultant for children's charity NCH, said he was not as surprised at the findings and called the statistics a “depressing reminder”.

“These statistics are inline with previous studies and a reminder that parents and children need to up their game when using the internet,” he said.

“It is clear through such statistics that we can’t just rely on websites and the internet industry to educate parents and children on internet safety. It's not working.

"We need to get reading material into people’s hands to teach them about the internet.

“Parents need to understand that the internet is not a new thing, it’s a part of children’s lives and they should integrate it and show the attention they would as if it was a child’s school friend or work."

However, Mr Carr said educating children had to be carried out with “diplomacy”; parents should sit down and speak to their children about the dangers they face online.

Children’s charity Childnet, has created a range of tools to educate parents about safe surfing. These include Powerpoint presentations and seminars which can be accessed on its site. Garlik has also created a number of online tips for children and parents such as keeping internet-connected computers in a central and open location.

The company also advises parents to devise a list of internet rules that children can agree to sign up to.