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October 7, 2009

One third of 12 to 15 years olds have web access in their bedroom

60 percent surf the web unsupervised

Carrie-Ann Skinner

Over a third of children aged 12 to 15 have internet access in the bedroom, says Ofcom.

Ofcom's UK Children's Media Literacy report revealed that the figure 20 percent up on 2007. When it comes to 8 to 11 year olds, the number of kids with web access in bedroom has increased by nine percent to 16 percent.

Ofcom also said that 60 percent of 12 to 15 year olds and 33 percent of 8 to 11 year olds admitted they weren't supervised by their parents when online, while 20 percent of five to seven year olds were allowed to surf the web without an adult present.

10 percent of parents said they were unaware parental controls existed for the web while 72 percent voiced their concerns that other people could track their children via location-based mobile phone services, such as Google Latitude, that allow a person's location to be revealed via their mobile phone.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) told The Telegraph: "A few years ago we would have said it was important to keep the computer in the family room. But now in light of new technology, and as more children can access the internet on mobile phone and consoles, the advice is to educate yourselves and your children about what the internet can bring and keep safe".

Ofcom also published a list of the 50 most popular websites with children, which saw social network Facebook at number six, despite only those aged 13 and above being allowed on the site. Google topped the list.

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