There are a number of basic recommendations that help in addressing these issues:

1. Parents should promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle before focusing on the "technical" aspects about the use of new technologies and accessing social networks. A healthy life balance in itself reduces the risks of children being harmed online.

2. Parents and adults should practice what they preach since many adults themselves spend hours in front of screens and set a bad example for their children.

3. Parents should also make the most out of available tools to protect their children from advertising and inappropriate content.

4. Companies such as online social network providers should implement "easy fixes" which benefit everyone via measures such as systematic encryption of private data or a high privacy by default setting.

5. Companies should also enhance user control over privacy features such as the access of applications to phone book contacts and the likes.

6. Finally, more awareness raising needs to be done around the features of social networks and how these work in order to reduce misuse or abuse of these features (for instance, the "like" button and the spread of spam).

As regards children, they require specific attention. Children are considered to be vulnerable users and as such, should be entitled special protection measures online and offline.

Services and products (devices) offered to children need to be age-appropriate and must be at the forefront of business concerns. So far, smartphones and tablets have a single interface designed for adults but used by children.

The role of family organisations, including COFACE, is not only to lobby companies and public authorities to create a safer online environment for children but also to educate and raise awareness of both parents and children on the positive use of new technologies.