Shock figures reveal 65 per cent of kids aged 8-12 in Ireland were contacted by a stranger online, Parents should be Alert, at all times, and have Access to their Childrens Online Activities?Principal St. Kevin’s School, Sallynoggin, Barry O’Leary said: “This important report tallies with our experience in school of the ever-growing consequence of the ‘online childhood’, with constantly accessible devices and gaming consoles that are proving too powerful for younger people.

Despite smart-phone free initiatives, phone ownership has risen in primary school aged childrenThe report showed that a quarter of primary school children, aged between 8 and 12 and 21 per cent of secondary school children aged between 12 and 14 have been bothered or upset by harmful content.

This harmful content included scams, harassment, horror, and sexual material online.

One quarter of kids aged between 8 and 12 were also upset by unsolicited contact.

Despite smart-phone free initiatives, phone ownership has risen in primary school aged children.Over half of kids aged 8 to 12 did not tell a parent when they were bothered, confused or upset by harmful content or unsolicited contact, which rose to 63 per cent in 12 to 14 year olds.  

It also shows that parents are less involved in their children’s online lives than in previous years.