MILLIONS of kids spend more than 20 HOURS a week on social networking websites — part of a generation being “raised online”, a report claims.

Many remove security blocks and lie about their age to access adult content, while parents often have little or no idea about what they are viewing.

One 16-year-old girl said: “My mum will ask sometimes, ‘Is it safe?’ But she doesn’t really know.”

And another aged 15 admitted: “Everyone lies about their age because if you say you are under 18, I think your profile gets set to private.” Some kids boasted that they could remove internet restrictions on computers at school.

Hordes of youngsters are now hooked on games, videos and chat using sites like bebo, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, according to today’s report by the Institute for Public Policy Research think-tank.

A second study by TV parenting guru Dr Tanya Byron is this week expected to urge parents to BAN computers from kids’ bedrooms.

The IPPR report also reveals that six out of ten kids admit they have seen online porn on their computer. Many stumble across it accidentally after being sent lewd spam.

VIOLENT

The 20-hour-a-week habit is three times longer than official studies say — and the IPPR report calls on the Government and internet firms to do more to protect youngsters.

It follows outrage over videos of fights and violent attacks that are shown online.

In the last week more than 300 “street fight” and 117 “happy slap” videos were uploaded on to YouTube.

Fury also erupted over suicide sites following deaths in Bridgend, Wales.

Report author Kay Withers said: “With kids spending ever-increasing time online, parents need to be reassured about what they’re looking at. Internet companies need to take more responsibility for content and promote acceptable behaviour.”

Source: The Sun, UK
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article952812.ece