AS thousands of children across York get ready to excitedly unwrap internet-enabled gadgets on Christmas morning, families are being encouraged to discuss staying safe online.

Mobile phones, tablets, laptops and games consoles can open up a world of exploration, learning and fun and children should be encouraged to make the most of the benefits.

North Yorkshire Police has singled out some advice to help keep children safe online.

These include: Checking if any of the mobile apps they use have location services enabled, and disable this if they do not want to be tracked.

Show them how to report offensive comments or block people who upset them. Check ‘tagging’ settings so that when others are posting or sharing photos online, your child’s identity is not revealed, and encourage children to talk to parents if they see anything that upsets them

Ask them to show you which social media apps they use, what they like about them and talk about how to use them safely

You can find out more about how children use social media, the apps they use, the risks they face at www.childnet.com/sns.