CUMBRIA Police are urging young people to stay safe online, and are encouraging parents to take an active interest in what their children could be accessing.

As more and more websites are created an increasing number of children and young people are being exposed to dangers online.

One site that has been reported to Police recently  by concerned parents is Omegle - a free online chat website that allows users to communicate with strangers without registering.

Detective Sergeant Jim Rooney said: “It is important that parents take a keen interest in what their children are viewing and accessing online.

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"We work with local schools to directly warn children of the dangers that they are placing themselves in accessing certain websites.

“Some of the key issues we address cover things like the importance of privacy settings, and how once something is uploaded, or sent via the internet, you have lost control of it forever."

Police advice for parents includes:

- Stay up-to-date. Ask about your child’s new gadgets, apps and websites – it is important to be aware of new technologies and developments that your child may be using

- Set boundaries. Treat the online world as you would the ‘real’ world – consider what or who they may see, share and communicate with, as well as how long they spend online

-  Know what connects to the internet and how. Today many technologies connect to the internet – including TVs and games consoles. Check how they are accessing the internet – if it is through a neighbour’s WiFi, your security settings may not be applied