Films warn children over web perils

Last Modified: 08 May 2008
Source: PA News

Young children are being warned about the dangers of the internet in a series of animated films.

The films, aimed at youngsters as young as five will be launched by a Government child protection agency.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), which investigates and prosecutes paedophiles, is warning youngsters about interacting with adults on the web.

Children learn about potential danger by following the adventures of Hector the dolphin and his friends in a series of animated films.

The stories explore issues such as giving out personal information and how to assess if someone online is trustworthy.

The Hector's World animation has been adapted for a UK audience after the programme was successfully run in New Zealand.

The website www.thinkuknow.co.uk/hectorsworld also allows parents and teachers to access free resources.

CEOP chief executive Jim Gamble said: "We know that children are now using the internet at an increasingly young age.

"Recent research, coupled with feedback from our own youth panel and our work with parents, show that children are exploring the online world from as young as five years old.

"Teachers have asked us for this material because it is never too early to start giving children 'safety first' messages: in the same way that we teach small children to cross the road safely, there is a need to ensure that young children learn good habits for a future life online."

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