ERR – A study coordinated by the London School of Economics and Political Science found that 41 percent of Estonia's children come into contact with Internet risks, the highest percentage in Europe.
University of Tartu Media Studies Professor Veronika Kalmus told uudised.err.ee on Wednesday that children in eastern and northern Europe use the Internet more widely and thus their chances to stumble on risks are greater.
Internet risks are defined as cyber bullying, coming across pictures of sexual nature or sending messages to strangers.
Kalmus, who heads the Estonian side of the study, said that one reason could be that children in Estonia only turn to adults if something unsavory has already taken place.
She said that while the number one risk for Scandinavian children is inappropriate images, cyber bullying is most widespread in Estonia, especially among girls.
Lithuania is also high on the risk table, with 38 percent of kids coming into contact with internet risks, Finland is a little safer, with 32 percent. Only 10 percent of children in Italy and 17 percent in Ireland have stumbled on either sexual explicit content, cyber bullying or contact with strangers.
