A survey conducted by TalkTalk discovered that one in four children are sent pornographic material via email. The research also found that one in 20 children, aged between six and 15, had communicated with a stranger via webcam and one in 50 have actually met a stranger they first contacted online.

After surveying 500 children, TalkTalk found that many are getting away with behaviour online that they wouldn’t get away with in the real world, largely because of their parents’ lack of understanding and awareness of their internet habits and of safety precautions.

More than six out of 10 children (62%) said they lie to parents about what they have been looking at online and over half (53%) delete the history on their web browser so their parents can’t see what they have been looking at.

The research also revealed that one in nine (11%) have either bullied someone online or been bullied online themselves.

Prof Tanya Byron, who oversaw the TalkTalk research, said: “It’s crucial that parents educate themselves about what’s going on online and what their kids are doing there.”

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