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Australian parents exposing kids to potential cyber-bullying: expert

Xinhua, August 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

Australian parents are exposing their kids to the perils of social media well before they have reached the minimum joining age, according to an online safety expert.

The Alannah and Madeline Foundation's cyber safety adviser, Jeremy Blackman, revealed to News Corp on Thursday that parents were signing up their children to social media sites before the minimum age of 13, with the aim of monitoring their online activity.

"We see a lot of parents helping their under-age children get on to social networks," Blackman said.

Blackman said it was not uncommon for children to be signed up as early as 10 years old on social networks like Facebook and Twitter, well before they were equipped to cope with the unpredictability of the service, leaving them open to cyber- bullying.

Blackman revealed that one in five young Australians are harassed online and often parents are not aware that it is happening, despite monitoring their childrens' social media circles.

In May, Paul Fletcher, Australia's parliamentary secretary to the minister for communications, said parents had a " responsibility" to check up on their children online.

The advice came after News Corp revealed policing Australia's new child cyber-bulling measures would cost taxpayers 35 million U. S dollars over four years.

"Parents need to be aware of what their children are doing online," Fletcher told News Corp in May.

However, Blackman said parents were now signing up their children earlier with the misguided belief that it would allow them manage their online behaviour.

"Kids are very good at hiding in plain sight. It just gives children a licence to sign up to more networks,"Blackman said.

Blackman said parents did not understand their children mostly conducted their online interaction through direct messaging, which they would be unable to see despite being able to follow their profile.

He said children also often share their passwords with friends, leaving them at risk of identity theft.

The Alannah and Madeline Foundation, a charity which manufactures online protection software for children, is a finalist at Thursday night's Australia and New Zealand Internet Awards. Endi