Half of New Zealand parents believe their children are more likely to be bullied online than in the playground, a new survey has found.
A file photo of a child using a smartphone: More than 70 percent of the parents surveyed allowed their children to access the internet before the age of 11. Photo: 123rf
The latest Norton Cyber Security Insights Report also showed more were taking preventive steps to protect their children when they were using the internet.
While 71 percent of parents allowed their children to access the internet before the age of 11, they were worried about things like cyber bullying, the report showed.
Close to 60 percent were also concerned their children might download a malicious virus, or disclose too much personal information to strangers.
The report showed about 40 percent were taking steps to try and protect their children when they were online, including checking their browser history and only allowing them to use the internet in common areas in their home.
The New Zealand sample involved 1005 device users aged 18+, 338 of whom were parents.
The margin of error was +/- 3.1 percent for the total New Zealand sample and +/-5.3 percent among New Zealand parents.