Danger lurks in the cyber-world every bit as much as in the real world

Barbie Clarke

Of the four million children aged seven to 16 who surf the web, 29% would happily supply their home address while 14% would give their e-mail address, the survey found.

Ms Clarke said: "Kids who surf the web regard themselves as net-savvy, yet they are incredibly vulnerable.

"Not only will kids supply their address to companies, many of them believe that if they make a 'virtual friend' on the Internet it is perfectly OK to give them their home address.

"The possible implications of this are both self-evident and frightening and underline the need for parents to ensure that their children understand that danger lurks in the cyber-world every bit as much as in the real world."

Some 2,000 children aged seven to 16 and their parents were interviewed for the survey in April and May.