Ofcom finds 79% of parents try to keep kids safe online

Four-fifths of parents with a home broadband connection have taken steps to protect their children online, according to Ofcom.

The communications regulator found parental concerns about the content being accessed via TV and the web are decreasing, but 79 per cent of mums and dads with kids aged between five and 15 have rules in place for their children's internet usage.

Measures taken to protect youngsters online include setting limits on the amount of time they are allowed to spend browsing and keeping an eye on their activity.

Some 46 per cent of parents with five to 15-year-olds who go online at home have installed some form of safety controls on their computer.

However, ten per cent of respondents admitted they have not adopted online parental controls as they either do not know how to do so, or are unaware it is possible. This proportion rose to 21 and 25 per cent for fixed and mobile games consoles respectively.

"Children are not just using more media, they are also adopting some forms at a very young age," said Claudio Pollack, Ofcom's consumer director.

"This highlights the challenge that some parents face in keeping up with their children when it comes to technology."