The NSPCC and O2 are encouraging Dumbarton and Vale parents to use app Net Aware following research revealing that one in four young people have been contacted over social media by an adult they don’t know – with a third of these children under age 13.

The unnerving figures, from NSPCC and O2 research, stem from a survey of 2,059 children and 2,049 parents for Net Aware – a guide to 40 of the most popular social media sites, apps and games that young people use.

NSPCC Scotland national head of service Matt Forde said: “Worryingly we are hearing from children as young as 13 who have been contacted by adults they don’t know on social media, which can be extremely upsetting.

“In addition our research shows children are being exposed to inappropriate and harmful content across a range of social networking sites and games, from the big names to those perhaps lesser known to parents.

“Net Aware does all the work, updating parents with the latest reviews, news and risks about sites their children are using and providing tips and advice to keep them safe online.”

Nina Bibby, CMO at O2 added: “Net Aware is a great way for parents to stay up to date with their children’s digital world.“While it’s encouraging to see that children increasingly know about social media safety settings, the constantly evolving digital world means that it’s more important than ever for organisations like O2 and the NSPCC to work together to keep kids safe online.”