JOHANNESBURG - Parents are failing their kids.
That's the dire warning from the National Centre for Child Protection.
It's calling for more vigilance of children's online activity. The Centre also said there needs to be more awareness of digital dangers.
The Centre's Danie van Loggerenberg said there is a lack of communication and a lack of knowledge with parents.
"Parents, once you allow your child to have a device with them without any control or supervision you child falls within a world that you know nothing about.
"Your child would rather send a nude than have their phone taken from them, meaning once they have been fooled or conned or speak to a complete stranger based on a photo or profile that’s been created, and they’ve made the mistake of sending that photo, and they refuse to speak to their parents
"They are actually stuck in that situation."
He said parents must understand that they are failing their kids first.