Almost a quarter of children aged between eight and 17 accidentally encounter pornography while on the Internet, an EU survey of Ireland, Belgium, the UK and Greece has shown.
The preliminary findings of a survey on Internet use revealed the home is the most common place for Irish children to access the Internet.
The findings were announced at the launch of a new website (www.fkbko.net) for children providing advice and information on how to use the Internet safely. The research and website were produced by Online Children’s Education (ONCE) project to help children protect themselves online.
The survey found that, of the 30 per cent of Irish children who visited chatrooms, 87 per cent were asked for face-to-face meetings.
It said while most children (65 per cent) were given safety information about using the Net by parents but almost half (48 per cent) said they were never supervised while using online.
One 16-year-old girl said of the Internet: "Sometimes people can get too much information, they are scary and dangerous people."
The FKBKO website, devised by ONCE researchers from Ireland, Belgium, the UK and Greece, is an information portal for children to explain the intricacies of using the Internet as a tool. It also provides a rating for favourite websites and service for children to check opinions on websites they encounter.
An EU information leaflet for parents was also published today providing details on how to ensure that children remain safe while using the Net. Be Wise on the Internetwas compiled by the National Centre for Technology in Education, the Irish Internet Advisory Board and the National Parents Council.