THE NSPCC have launched their Share Aware campaign to get families talking about socialising safely online.

An NSPCC panel of more than 500 parents from Mumsnet who reviewed 48 sites aimed at adults and teenagers found they were too easy for children under 13 to sign-up to and found inappropriate content after only half hour of logging on.

Websites aimed at younger children fared better and parents did not find any unsuitable content on them.

On more than 40 per cent of the sites the panel struggled to locate privacy, reporting and safety information.

The NSPCC also asked just under 2,000 children and young people which networking sites they used.

Main concerns mentioned by children were talking to strangers or sexual content. But they also thought the minimum age limit for signing up to many sites should be higher; despite saying they'd used the sites when they were underage.

The Share Aware campaign is aimed at parents of eight to 12 year old children and features two animations to be shown on prime time TV and digital spaces.

Both films are engaging with a serious message of two children who share too much about themselves online. The films contain the simple message that although children are taught that it’s good to share, this is not always the case online.

You can find out more about Share Aware by visiting http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/share-aware.

Anyone looking for advice about keeping children safe online, or concerned about the safety and welfare of a child, can contact the NSPCC’s 24-hour helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk

Children worried about online safety or any other problem can call the free, 24-hour helpline on 0800 1111 or get help online at www.childline.org.uk.