Parents in the Westcountry keen to ensure their children stay safe online are being advised to become as familiar with new technology as their offspring.

Greater familiarity would mean that parents have a better idea of what their children are getting up to online, according to Det Insp Simon Snell, head of Devon and Cornwall police hi-tech crime unit.

He warned that parents could not afford to "bury their heads in the sand" when it came to internet safety.

"Technology is changing all the time and parents have to keep up with their children. If people don't understand the terminology or the technology then they should get their kids to help them," said Det Insp Snell.

"The internet is an incredible tool but there are a small number of individuals who use it to exploit others, for a number of reasons.

"Research shows that 25 per cent of people who meet online will go on to meet someone offline, which is quite horrendous.

"There are also a high number of people who divulge personal information, such as their address, where they go to school and give their phone numbers to strangers."

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre has recently launched a new website (www.ceop.gov.uk) to help parents keep their children safe online.

The centre is staffed by a specialist police team who work closely with organisations such as the NSPCC and Childnet.

Internet safety tips for parents:

• Know what your children are doing online and who they are talking to. Ask them to teach you to use any applications you have never used.
• Help your children to understand that they should never give out personal details to online friends - personal information includes their messenger id, email address, mobile number and any pictures of themselves, their family or friends - if your child publishes a picture or video online - anyone can change it or share it.
• If your child receives spam / junk email & texts, remind them never to believe them, reply to them or use them.
• It's not a good idea for your child to open files that are from people they don't know. They won't know what they contain - it could be a virus, or worse - an inappropriate image or film.
• Help your child to understand that some people lie online and that therefore it's better to keep online mates online. They should never meet up with any strangers without an adult they trust.
• Always keep communication open for a child to know that it's never too late to tell someone if something makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Teach young people how to block someone online and report them if they feel uncomfortable.

Source: www.ceop.gov.uk