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With ways of accessing the internet increasing all the time, Child Internet Safety Expert John Carr gives his tips on keeping your kids safe online
A third of children aged 5 to 8 have a personal laptop or computer, one in five have it in their own bedroom, and one in four kids use their mobile to access the internet.
Lots more children may have received a Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable or an iTouch for Christmas. But how many parents know that their children can get wi-fi access on them?
Keeping safe online
Here are Child Internet Safety Expert John Carr's key points and tips on how parents can best keep their children safe online:
*Most parents have no idea that mobiles and games have internet access.
*Consoles, PDAs and iTouch phones do have safety options.
*Parents first need to find out if the device can make a connection to the internet. If it's a games console, mobile phone or an iTouch, the chances are very likely that it can.
*Parents then need to know what provisions have been made by the manufacturer or supplier to make it safer for children. With some devices, like the Xbox for example, there's a sophisticated array of tools for parents to monitor activity or block access to sites. The key thing is to find out what's available - check the packaging or the product's website.
*Sit together with your child and set the game up together, if possible. The reality is that games can give your child access to places and people that you may not want them to have.
*Tailor the family internet access to each individual child with the appropriate restrictions. A 17-year-old is not going to accept the same restrictions as your 7-year-old.
*Talk to your child about how they use the device - ask them 'do you log on, where do you go and who do you talk to'? Talk to them about internet safety in the same way you would about meeting strangers.
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