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UK children over the age of five will all be given compulsory online safety lessons under a new government scheme.
The Click Clever Click Safe strategy, will produce guidelines on how to protect children using the internet. The UK Council for Child Internet Safety, which is made up of over 140 organisations including Facebook, Microsoft and Google, will draw up the standards.
According to government research, 99 per cent of 8-17 year olds have access to the internet, with almost a fifth saying they had come across harmful or inappropriate content online.
The new plans would make “e-safety lessons” a compulsory part of the school curriculum from September 2011.
According to Reuters, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the aim of the initiative was to make web advice as well-known as the green cross code, which was designed in the 1970s to give children information about road safety.
Other Click Clever Click Safe guidelines will mean all companies having to clearly state on their websites the rules of usage and what children should do if they see something that is offensive.
The fist set of guidance is due to be published in summer.