Dixons hits out at parents for exposing kids to online dangers

High-street electrical retailer Dixons, which owns the PC World chain, has hit out at parents for what it calls "a staggering lack of concern about children being exposed to unsuitable content and dangerous strangers online".

According to research from Dixons, 33 per cent more parents install anti-virus software on the home PC than internet security controls which would protect their children from offensive content.

The retailer conducted a survey in conjunction with Parents Online an initiative set up by the Department for Education and Skills and the findings make for alarming reading.

Forty per cent of parents questioned said they are unconcerned about their children viewing unsuitable material online.

A staggering 53 per cent said they are unconcerned about their children being contacted by strangers online - despite high-profile incidences of 'grooming' by paedophiles who prey upon children in chat rooms. More than a third of parents (38 per cent) have failed to install any safeguards on their home PC to protect their children.

And this reticence is not because parents are always watching over their children's shoulders. More than a quarter (28 per cent) admitted that they never supervise their child while on the internet.

John Carr, internet consultant for children's charity NCH, said: "I'm afraid I'm not at all surprised by these findings but there's no point having a go at the parents - most of them all left school before the internet really came along and many don't have cause to use it at work."

He added: "How can you expect parents to educate kids about something they don't even understand themselves?"

NCH is currently working with the Department for Education and Skills to encourage parents back into the classroom to bridge this digital divide which exists between them and their children.

NCH is also working with 14 Comet stores nationwide to run seminars during August aimed at educating parents about the risks awaiting children online.

Comet last month announced plans to pre-install web filtering software on PCs in order to help parents understand what they can do to protect their children - an example Carr urges other retailers to follow.

PC World is pre-installing an advice guide for parents which will inform them about how their family PC can be run more safely.