One in 10 children have seen something on the Internet that makes them feel uncomfortable, and almost half of parents feel that using the Internet is a high- risk activity, a new survey shows.
The survey, commissioned by the Internet Advisory Board, found that 13 per cent of children said they had seen things that their parents would not like them to see while using the Internet. Some 9 per cent of children said they had seen something on the Internet that made them feel uncomfortable.
Children viewing pornography and other unsuitable material online is the biggest concern for parents, who nonetheless feel that providing Internet access is essential to help children with their educational needs.
The survey shows parents are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers posed by the Internet and the vast majority now supervise children's use of the web.
However, few parents are aware that the Internet can now be accessed from a range of other electronic devices such as mobile phones and game consoles. The survey concludes the Internet Advisory Board - a State body set up to oversee self-regulation of the Internet in Ireland - should now concentrate on educating parents about these new devices.
The survey interviewed 317 children between the ages of 10 and 14, and 317 parents for the report. All the participants had access to an Internet-connected computer in their home.
The report shows that six out of 10 children are now allowed to use their mobiles without parental supervision and a third of children have access to cable television in their bedroom.
However, the Internet is now the most popular type of modern technology used by children in households that have a computer connected to the web. Aware of the dangers posed by the Internet, just 3 per cent of parents allow children to keep Internet- ready computers in their rooms.
Parents are more aware of the potential danger of Internet chat rooms, according to the survey. It shows that 96 per cent of parents now recognise the danger of chat rooms compared to 89 per cent back in 2001, the last time a similar survey was conducted.
Almost all parents now set rules and discuss the dangers posed by chat rooms with their children. And there are also signs that Internet chat rooms, which have been used by paedophiles to target children, are becoming less popular with children.
Just 5 per cent of children surveyed said they had visited an Internet chat room, a significant fall from 30 per cent in 2001.
Just 8 per cent of parents bought an Internet-connected computer as a result of "pressure from their children", reflecting that, overall, parents view the technology as necessary for their education.
The survey, conducted by Amárach Consulting, concludes that parents provide Internet access to their children because of a fear that they will be left behind in the "information age".
The report will be presented at a conference on Monday hosted by the Internet Advisory Board.
Internet use: key findings
9 per cent of children have seen something that made them feel uncomfortable while on the Internet.
13 per cent of children said they had seen things on the web their parents would not like them to see
47 per cent of parents view the Internet as a high-risk activity for their children
96 per cent of children now have access to their own mobile phone
5 per cent of children say they have visited an Internet chat room, down from 30 per cent in 2001.
88 per cent of parents now monitor their children's Internet use by checking phone bills and monitoring websites they have visited.
8 per cent of parents felt that mobile phones were the technology that could cause the most harm to their children.