Kids online

The Internet is a vast source of information for all of us, and naturally some people use that information for good, and some for ill, like grooming and stalking children. So what things can you as a parent, teacher, or other concerned adult do to protect kids against online predators and solicitation?

Children indulge in highly risky behavior online - with nearly one in five 9-11 year olds having physically met strangers they encountered online. Others use false identities - with some under-10s pretending to be 25.

Children come into contact with the internet at a very young age these days - a survey on a parenting site this year said that one in eight children go online before the age of two. Our tips will help keep youngsters safe - and help them enjoy the internet.

“Children are a formidable adversary - unlike any other,” says Microsoft security researcher Stuart Schechter, in a paper to be presented at the SOUPS security conference next week.