As more children become early adopters of technology devices and gain online access, the risk of them being exposed to cyber bullying and exploitation also increases.
Facebook has announced it is launching a new section in the Facebook Safety Centre, called the Parent's Portal, to help parents combat this problem.
The portal will hold resources and videos from safety experts for parents about how to teach their children about online safety.
"Every day, parents come to Facebook to ask for advice in groups, share pictures of their kids or just stay connected with family in different places. And for many parents, they also have questions about how Facebook works once their kids join. That's why today we are launching the Parent's Portal," says Antigone Davis, head of global safety at Facebook.
"Whether you have a personal account, or whether your teen has one, we've compiled some basic information and tips to help you get the most out of your experience and help your child navigate their experience. We're also pleased to connect you with online safety experts around the world who offer resources specifically for parents."
The tips currently in the portal include: letting children know the same rules apply online as offline; starting to talk about safety as soon as or before children create their first social media account; and asking children to teach adults about how they use the service.
In August last year, to address some of the risks South African children may be exposed to, the Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services (DTPS) launched a children's empowerment and protection ICT strategy, which includes an e-Parenting programme.
The department's e-Parenting programme aims to support parents to cope with the challenges of parenting within the digital age, and will be implemented as part of the Child Online Protection (COP) initiative.
The COP is a guide for the department on the conceptualisation, implementation and monitoring of all children's programmes to be introduced in the ICT sector.
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