Parents left in the dark by children's use of the internet

Only nine per cent of parents believe their child is safe online, according to a new report into cyber-bullying, yet nearly half the parents of children under 13 surveyed have set up a Facebook account for their child.

With today’s young teens being the first generation to grow up immersed in a cyberworld, the report reveals that parents require more support to help keep their children safe online.

A new study – Digital Deception: The Online Behaviour Of Teens, commissioned by internet security firm McAfee and the Anti-Bullying Alliance, part of the National Children’s Bureau charity – is aimed at helping parents and children to better protect themselves and their families.

The report reveals that most children’s internet use takes place away from the watchful eyes of parents and is prone to cruel and abusive behaviour. Worryingly, research suggests that some parents may be unintentionally exposing their children to inappropriate behaviour and cyber-bullying through lack of controls and by setting up access to social networks.

The research, published to mark Anti-Bullying Week, found cyber-bullying commonplace, with 16 per cent of youngsters surveyed having been victims of mean or cruel behaviour online and 22 per cent having witnessed the same behaviour directed at another child.

The survey found that children and teens are prolific internet-users; with 26 per cent spending up to six hours or more online every day. Fifty-three per cent go online in their bedroom, 46 per cent on a games console and 66 per cent on a smartphone.

A third of parents admit to not talking to their children about online safety and less than one in five has set parental controls across internet-accessible devices.

Despite the age restriction, 45 per cent of parents of children under 13 have set up a Facebook account for their child. The findings reveal that some parents actually disagree with current social media site age restrictions, with nearly one in eight claiming younger children should be able to join social networks.

Mum-of-two Jane Parker, from Baildon, allowed her 12-year-old son to go on Facebook because she didn’t want him to feel left out. “I felt he was a bit young for it but all his friends are on it. It was a case of ‘will he get bullied if he’s not on Facebook and everyone else is?’,” she says.

“I monitor it but sometimes he goes on it when I’m not around. I do worry about cyber-bullying. I think there should be internet safety taught in schools, and classroom discussions on what exactly it is.”

With many children unaware of what constitutes cyber-bullying, the research suggests they need help to better understand appropriate online behaviour. Only 23 per cent of those who had directed a comment with cruel or abusive language online considered it “mean” to the person it was directed at, and just nine per cent consider that behaviour to be cyber-bullying.

Of the parents surveyed, more than half said online bullying was a concern, 38 per cent thought their children may have been bullied online, and 33 per cent believed their children may be bullies themselves. Many parents admitted that lack of knowledge about the internet and social networks made them ill-equipped to keep their children safe online.

Raj Samani, online safety expert at McAfee, says: “As a father, it’s worrying that parents are unknowingly enabling their children’s bad behaviour online, with nearly half of parents setting up social profiles, despite a third admitting to not having discussed online safety and even fewer having installed parental controls.

“For many parents, a lack of knowledge around online safety is causing real problems. Parents need to feel empowered to set the right security and privacy settings, and to have the right conversations with their children about what is and isn’t suitable behaviour online.”

The Anti-Bullying Alliance is calling for a national debate on children and young people’s use of the internet and their online safety, bringing together children, parents, industry providers, educators and the Government.

“Currently there is no clear leadership, no co-ordination and no adequate educational model in place to tackle the growing issue of cyber-bullying,” said national co-ordinator Luke Roberts.

“We need to make cyber-bullying a thing of the past and ensure a digital future for our children that is safe, fun and connected; where children take responsibility for their own safety online, but more importantly know where to turn for help when things go wrong.”

Digital Deception: The Online Behaviour Of Teens, can be downloaded from anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk.