Most parents are naïve about what their kids are really doing online, at least according to a new survey conducted by Netmums. The survey included more than 1100 parents, plus 825 kids ages 7 to 16. Here are some of the highlights from the study:

– Roughly three quarters of parents think their kids spend an hour online every day, but on average, kids say they spend twice that.
– A third of kids say their Internet use makes other activities that require concentration more difficult, such as reading a book.
– Half of kids say they resort to the Internet when they’re bored.
– The majority of kids (57%) have seen inappropriate content online. Children reported looking at:

– Images of animal cruelty (26%)
– Sites that encourage eating disorders (24%)
– Images of self-harm (20%)
– “Soft” porn (18%)
– Sites discussing suicide (11%)
– Violent porn (6%)

Perhaps the most alarming finding that emerged from the survey was that 17% of kids said they actually thought about acting on the suggestions found on these inappropriate sites.

It’s downright terrifying to think that your child might be influenced by such damaging content and even more horrifying to think that it could happen in your own home. But the facts speak for themselves. The only way to really know what your child is up to online is to monitor web use—and not just on PCs and laptops, but across various platforms.

At Qustodio, we’re proud to be able to offer parents a free and effective way to do just that. Try Qustodio now—you may be surprised at what you find out about your child’s online activity, and it could be the very best thing you can do for his safety and wellbeing!