Most children's phones not monitored by parents: Report

Mobile phones help children stay in touch with their parents and vice versa. But a study reveals that not all parents monitor their children's phones despite being aware of potential dangers.

Mobile phone insurance site Mobileinsurance.co.uk conducted the survey, which reveals that nearly six in 10 parents didn't check their child's phone activity, with the main reason being they never got round to it, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Other reasons were not wanting to invade their child's privacy and parents trusting their children to be responsible.

When parents were asked whether they would know how to get access to their child's phone, 79 percent admitted they wouldn't be able to do so.

Only three percent of parents, who were surveyed, said they had an application that allowed them to track their child through their phone.

Children as young as six were found to have a mobile phone.

"To see that children as young as six are in possession of a mobile phone was pretty shocking. To be honest, I really can't see a need for this and it isn't very reassuring to know that many parents aren't checking up on their child's handset activity," Jason Brockman, director of mobileinsurance.co.uk, said.

"It's not a case of invading their privacy, but it should be seen as a way of keeping them safe," he added.

Brockman also said that parents should ensure that if their children have access to the Internet on their phones, adult content and websites are restricted.

"It's also important to make sure they aren't talking to strangers or being bullied," he said.