Parents 'Don't Know Online Risks'

Parents are not talking to their children about the right forms of online safety, according to a charity.

The NSPCC says the majority don't know about features that publicise private information - like where the user is - and that games allow players to talk to each other.

Eight out of ten parents told the YouGov poll, commissioned by the charity, that they knew what to say to their child to keep them safe online, but only 28percent had mentioned privacy settings to them, and a fifth discussed location settings.

The survey found youngsters found certain social media apps risky as they can allow strangers to contact them.

More than 80person said online privacy settings on mobile apps and games was a topic they thought their parents should cover in an online safety conversation. 

And 54percent said location settings, which can prevent sex offenders tracking children.

The NSPCC is calling for all social networking sites, apps and games used by children to provide easy ways for children and parents to report abuse, attempts at grooming or concerns about content.

The charity also wants to see all online accounts for under-16s:

• Block messages from strangers
• Prevent users making their location or contact details public
• Set profiles as private by default on sign-up
• Alert children to the risks if they choose make their profile public.

The charity is also urging parents to make sure their online knowledge is up to date by checking out its updated Net Aware guide, published this week.

Among twelve sites that have now been added to the guide are Tapatalk and Pheed, which many parents may not be familiar with, plus well-known games like Call of Duty that allows users to chat online.

The latest websites, apps and games featured in Net Aware were reviewed by a panel of parents and all were rated poorly in terms of how easy it was to change privacy settings, report concerns about abuse or bullying, and find safety advice.

The guide now covers a total of sixty social networking sites, apps and games popular with children and is free to access at www.net-aware.org.uk

Claire Lilley, NSPCC head of child safety online, said if parents are not talking to children about things like privacy settings on social networking sites it can leave them at risk of online grooming.

She said: "We’ve seen horrendous cases where offenders take a scattergun approach, targeting hundreds of children at a time online, often posing as another young person.

“It’s important parents have the knowledge to talk in detail with children about safety settings. Minecraft is one game that is much safer for children once the privacy settings have been adjusted. Our updated Net Aware guide is packed with straightforward advice that will help parents stay up to date with their children’s digital lives.”