NO CHECK ON USERS’ AGES

IN theory, Facebook and some other websites require users to be at least 13. In practice, information provided when accounts are set up is not routinely checked.

Earlier this year, Facebook claimed there is nothing it can do to stop under-age children signing up – and now 47 per cent of those in the UK aged between nine and 12 have admitted to lying about their age on profiles.

The Moshi Monsters website, which is aimed at those between six and 12, does not allow private communication – but a recent complaint involved the claim that a user with a sexually suggestive username had been communicating with ‘a number of children’ and ‘discussing sex’.

Club Penguin, which is run by Disney, has 200 moderators who screen messages between users. However, it was claimed that a boy was directed from the site to a private chatroom and asked questions about his underwear.