Messages on websites to warn children of dangers

The Home Office is expected to publish new guidelines for the promotion of child safety on social networking websites next week.

Young Internet users will be encouraged to increase their privacy settings to prevent their personal information from being accessed by strangers, and social networking web sites, such as Facebook, will have to display safety messages in a bid to protect children from online 'grooming' by paedophiles. It is estimated that as many as one in 12 children will go on to meet someone that they have made contact with on the internet.

The Home Office's task force on online child protection has drawn up the guidelines in consultation with web sites, mobile phone operators, children's charities, parenthood groups and academics. It will be recommended that the safety messages on social networking web sites are displayed in 'prominent locations' and promote 'clear and straightforward' methods to report inappropriate behaviour witnessed or experienced online.

Chief safety officer at Bebo, Rachel O'Connell, says that Bebo goes far beyond the recommendations, with profiles defaulting to private when children sign up. She added, "We have a link on our home page to a video which explains the importance of knowing who your online friends are."