IT finally looks like some sense is on the way in helping parents deal with the dangers of the internet to their children.

Gordon Brown commissioned Professor Tanya Byron, a clinical psychologist not unknown to viewers of programmes about badly-behaved children, to investigate the harmful effects of video games and websites.

Already, Professor Byron, who is chancellor of Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, found that, because parents had not grown up with such technology, many were unaware of the threats involved.

As children are no longer allowed out of their front door on their own, they were increasingly turning to the internet for their thrills instead. She points out risk-taking is an integral part of development: “Children are taking risks online because we live in a risk-averse culture,” she says.

Parents need to think about what exactly their children are watching, surfing or playing online and only be free to roam the internet when they are prepared for it. Just like deciding when kids are old enough to go on their own to the sweet shop or to school, this needs to be assessed by parents.