It might seem hard to believe, but around half a million kids in the UK aged between five and seven are allowed to surf the Net without supervision. That figure has been revealed by governmentregulator Ofcom as a new series of cartoons intended to help protect them online has been issued by the Child Exploitation andOnline Protection center (CEOP). The five-episode animated series, Hector’s World, is part of the Think U Know campaign,and features Hector the dolphin and friends in the “internet ocean” and offers guidance to the young to help them stay safe online, as well as warning about what not to do. HelenPenn, CEOP’s head of education, told the BBC: "We don’t want to frighten children but we do want them to be aware of the dangers, so we’re using a cartoon character to get themessage across. Time and time again we come across situations where children have given out all sorts of personal information on the internet without understanding the potential risks. They thinkonly their friends will read it, without realising anyone can see it."
