82% of children between the ages of eight and 12 are permitted to use their smart devices unsupervised in their bedrooms.
The research from CyberSafeKids published on Safer Internet Day also found 28% of kids could go online whenever they wanted, while half admit they spend too much time online.
According to the organisation, the survey shows 'an alarming lack of parental oversight', with just 35% of children saying parents or caregivers see what they are doing online.
Of the 32% of children who've been bothered or upset by something they've experienced online in the last year, only half spoke to a parent or trusted adult, which suggests that many children may not feel comfortable seeking help or discussing their online experiences.
Worryingly 16% of young children have also seen something online that they wouldn’t want their parents to know about in the last year.
Alex Cooney, CEO of CyberSafeKids, said parents need better support in this area: "We urgently need to provide better support to parents so they feel more confident about engaging with their children about their online activity, setting limits around use and access, using parental controls and even holding off on giving children devices or access to social media, if they feel their child is not ready.
"There is too much social pressure for children to be online and in many cases it’s before they are ready. Our Same Rules Apply campaign seeks to support parents in approaching children’s online lives with the same care and supervision that we apply to their offline lives. It’s not all on parents, however, Big Tech needs to be compelled to create safer online spaces for children too."
Dr. David Coleman, Clinical Psychologist, added: "Put simply, we parents need to be more involved in our children's online lives. The fact that primary school-aged children affected by distressing content or interactions online are choosing not to discuss these experiences with a parent or trusted adult is concerning. Parents need to facilitate that open discussion with children about their online lives.
"If we allow children online, at this age, then they need to be supervised and should never have unrestricted access. Keeping children safe online is as important as keeping them safe offline."
Keep up to date with all the latest entertainment news on our website, Beat102103.com.
