Earlier this month 17 leading web firms signed a European agreement to improve the safety of under 18s who use social networking sites -- a concern of experts and governments around the world. The European Commission, which brokered the agreement, praised the move saying: "Social networking has enormous potential to flourish in Europe, to help boost our economy and make our society more interactive - as long as children and teenagers have the trust and the right tools to remain safe when making new 'friends' and sharing personal details online.”

The commission specified as dangers cyberbullying (harassing children on internet sites or via mobile messages), grooming (when an adult befriends a child with the intention of committing sexual abuse) and risky behaviour like revealing personal information.

But British peer and leading neuroscientist Baroness Greenfield raised completely different safety issues in addressing the UK House of Lords this week.… click here to read whole article and make comments