As stated by TalkTalk broadband, parents’ lack of awareness is permitting children to get rid of risky behaviour online.
It has been stated by ISP that there are a quarter of children who have sent or been sent inaccurate material through email. Moreover, one in 20 have interacted with a stranger by means of a webcam. Many children are getting away with this behaviour online mainly because of the unawareness of their parents regarding the Internet habits and online safety measures.
According to the findings of the research, around 11% of people are there who had either enforced someone online or been a sucker of cyber bullying themselves.
It was stated by more than 60% of people that they cheat their parents regarding the material they have been searching out online. On the other hand, over half agreed that they mostly remove the history on their web browser so that their parents can’t see what they have been searching out online.
Tristia Clarke, from TalkTalk, said: “We all know there are threats in the virtual world just as there are in the real world, but it’s crucial that parents’ responses to these risks are measured and sensible.
“Our research underlines the need for greater communication between parents and children – it’s the best way for parents to get a sense of the likely risks to their children and therefore manage and minimise them where possible.”
It has been claimed by 55% of the children that they have much more internet knowledge as compared to their parents. Almost half spend minimum two hours of unsupervised Internet access every day.
Professor Tanya Byron, author of the Byron Review into the risks of harmful content on the internet, said: “The internet doesn’t have to be a dangerous place for children and in fact can be hugely beneficial to their development and education.
“As long as parents are armed with effective tools they can ensure their children are spending time online safely and responsibly. But it’s crucial that parents educate themselves about what’s going on online and what their kids are doing there.”
Michael Phillips, Broadbandchoices.co.uk product director, added: “There are a number of steps that you can take to ensure that your children can enjoy the internet safely. Talk to your children about the websites they use and their online habits, so you can spot any changes in their behaviour, and make sure that they know not to share their details with anyone online.
He further advised “You can also install parental control and internet security software and learn how to check your PC’s web history if you want to see which sites your children have been visiting,”.