Fed:One in five child 'net users approached by strangers: survey

AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-2004
Fed:One in five child 'net users approached by strangers: survey

SYDNEY, Aug 20 AAP - Nearly one child in every five using the internet have been approached
online by a stranger, according to a national survey to be published today.

And 47 per cent of children have been exposed to inappropriate material such as pornography.

The Sydney Morning Herald today reported that the survey of parents was conducted by
federally-funded internet safety advisory body NetAlert and internet portal ninemsn.

It said nearly 50 per cent of parents over 55 thought the internet was not safe for
children, although 90 per cent said it was a good educational tool.

Eighty-four per cent of parents thought they should be primarily responsible for online
safety but 16 per cent said schools and government should take more responsibility for
making the internet safer.

Most parents - 68 per cent - said they trusted their children to make safe and sensible
choices when surfing the net.

Only 38 per cent of home computers have child protection software installed, the survey found.

Almost all those polled said parents generally needed more education about the dangers
of going online, the paper said.

AAP ka/cdh e

KEYWORD: ONLINE

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