Based on our current review of European data on young people’s experience of the Internet the following observations emerge:

Advice and guidance to teenagers online is sorely needed, especially in some countries new to the internet or where teenagers’ experiences are ‘ahead’ of their ability to cope

Giving out personal information online does not always result in greater risk, but it may – care is needed in targeting advice depending on cultural and individual circumstances

Although children and young people are delighted with the opportunities open to them on the internet – especially for social networking – many of them are giving out personal information without realising who might see it. As a result, our research has found substantial amounts of bullying, harassment and unwanted sexual messages, which is very distressing for some.

Professor Sonia Livingstone, director of EU Kids Online, based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

EU Kids Online is the first systematic European comparison of research findings from 21 countries on children and young people’s experience of the Internet and online technologies. Now in its second year, the network is funded by the EC Safer Internet Plus Programme.EU Kids Online is at http://www.eukidsonline.net. Countries included are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands and The United Kingdom.