We all now that the internet is a place of learning and entertainment, but also of danger and vulnerability, especially for children and young adults.
In fact, at their Keeping Children Safe Online conference the ISPCC are now calling cyber safety "the child protection issue of our time".
Our CEO @GrainiaLong opening the Keeping Children Safe Online conference discussing the child protection issue of our time pic.twitter.com/BLWjDrj9gc
— ISPCC Childline (@ISPCCChildline) December 13, 2016
Creating a damning picture of the issue across the country, the charity are warning that children as young as five are witnessing a number of issues online including porn, grooming, abuse and bullying.
"Children are at risk online – from bullying, accessing inappropriate material and in the most egregious cases, from abuse," ISPCC CEO Grainia Long said according to SiliconRepublic.com.
"Childline began to find that online bullying was becoming an issue" @GrainiaLong #cybersafety
— ISPCC Childline (@ISPCCChildline) December 13, 2016
"Law reform and a range of education measures are undoubtedly required."
Sadly, the charity has said that parents are not prepared nor are they adequately equipped to deal with the issue.
"We don't have mandatory sex education programme in Ireland and that's not good enough" @GrainiaLong #cybersafety
— ISPCC Childline (@ISPCCChildline) December 13, 2016
Appreciating the benefit of the internet, Grainia explained: “Cyber safety is the child protection issue of our time; we are only beginning to understand the scale and nature of harm and criminal behaviour towards children online."
"However, we also appreciate the positive impact that technology has on the lives of young people but our work has informed us that our education system and society are failing to prepare children to identify and understand online risks.
"We need to have a conversation about the behaviour of parents" @GrainiaLong #cybersafety
— ISPCC Childline (@ISPCCChildline) December 13, 2016
“Children are at risk online – from bullying, accessing inappropriate material and in the most egregious cases, from abuse. Law reform and a range of education measures are undoubtedly required."
