The European Commission is considering the introduction of EU wide guidelines for providers of internet social networking websites.
The move comes amid ongoing concern about the issue of cyberbullying and the possible exploitation of children via websites such as Bebo.
Preliminary discussions on the voluntary guidelines, which would be brokered by the EU Commission but developed through agreement with operators, took place in March.
If adopted, the guidelines would be similar in scope to a 2007 EU framework for children using mobile phones.
Under these guidelines, leading mobile operators agreed to safeguard children in part by controlling access to adult content by children, and classifying commercial content according to "national standards of decency and appropriateness".
Dr Rachel O'Connell, chief safety officer with Bebo, confirmed last night that the group had participated in discussions with the EU Commission about the proposed new guidelines for social networking.
However, EU sources have stressed that discussions are still at a very early stage and no decision has been taken on what would be self-regulatory - rather than legislatively based - guidelines.
Separately, a meeting of EU education and culture ministers which begins in Brussels today is expected to approve a €55 million programme aimed at informing parents of the dangers of the internet.
The new Safer Internet Programme will build on the work of a previous programme in 2005. If approved by the EU parliament, it will run from 2009 to 2013.
Paul Durrant, general manager of the Internet Service Providers Association of Ireland, said he would welcome EU guidelines on the issue.
He added that because many social networking sites are hosted outside of Ireland, there was little his members could do.
The association's members in Ireland have agreed a code of practice and ethics, the first edition of which was launched in 2002.
This self-regulatory approach includes a section on "minimum practices", stating that a customer "may not use a member's services to create, host or transmit any unlawful, libellous, abusive, vulgar or obscene material."
Reacting to an RTÉ Prime Time Investigatesdocumentary on cyberbullying, which was broadcast on Monday, the Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe said his department would be examining the ramifications of the programme.
Mr O'Keeffe said education on this issue could not be left to teachers alone.
"It is clear that parents are critical to the safety of their children in online activities and the Government, in providing education for parents, through the NCTE and the NPC, is committed to supporting parents in this way," he said.
But Fine Gael Seanad spokeswoman on children, Senator Frances Fitzgerald, criticised the Government for reneging on its pledge to reduce class sizes, which she said can help tackle bullying.
She added that schools need to update their anti-bullying policies to include cyberbullying, and called on Mr O'Keeffe to publish national guidelines to deal with the issue.