Truth about dangers of Net

More than half of children who go online have been exposed to pornography, it was revealed today.

They called for urgent action by parents to limit the psychological effects of children's exposure to online pornography by carefully monitoring their usage. The report's author says the Government is neglecting children's safety by failing to set up a watchdog to tackle the problem.

Professor Sonia Livingstone of the LSE said: "The problem is that schools, the Home Office and even the Culture Department are all involved. We urgently need a single entity such as Ofcom to take control of this area, and we need funding now for this. The risks are massive.

"We are all used to safe media, where things like films are rated for children. With the internet, children can suddenly see absolutely everything."

Almost half of the 1,100 children aged between nine and 19 surveyed admitted they had given out their personal details online, which experts fear could lead to face-to-face meetings with potential paedophiles.

Megan Doran, 13, from Tunbridge Wells, sparked a nationwide hunt after disappearing from home. She was discovered in a west London flat with a student she had befriended in a chat room. US marine Toby Studabaker, 33, was convicted after running off to Europe with a 12-year-old English girl he met via the internet.

Stephen Carrick-Davies, of children's charity Childnet International, said schools also had a key role. "The report demonstrates the urgent need for more internet literacy within education, since too many young people do not apply critical thinking skills to online content.

"It also shows that while awareness of risks is now high among parents, there still remains a lot of confusion about what to do about the risks. Parents need more practical advice and guidance."

John Carr, internet adviser to children's charity NCH, said he was shocked by the lack of communication between parents and children.

He said: "The gap between what children are actually doing and what their parents think they are doing is a lot larger than many people would have imagined. It's a massive worry for us. We are still not reaching parents. It is a gap we must try to close."