Kenneth FoxOver half of children are at risk of online contact from strangers, according to research from CyberSafeKids. 51 per cent of children have no parental restrictions around online contact, such as chatting and gaming with people they do not know, exposing them to risks of engaging with strangers, according to Ireland's online safety charity. The findings, based on survey responses from more than 3,300 primary school children (aged 8-12) and over 1,700 parents, show that children are highly active online. Many parents say they feel ill-equipped and lack confidence when it comes to managing their children’s online activities. Less than half (47 per cent) use parental controls, and nearly a quarter (23 per cent) say they “wouldn’t know where to begin”.

Source: The Herald February 10, 2026 17:31 UTC