PC World is helping parents protect their children from accessing harmful and inappropriate content online with the launch today of Surf Control-Plus.

The service provides parents with access to a dedicated phone support line where they can get advice on internet safety as well as set-up and installation guidance for parental control software.

A recent study revealed kids now spend up to seven hours a day in ‘electronic life’ much of which is spent online.

Despite this 1/3 of parents say they have no idea what their children do online. Nearly two in ten (18 %) of children have been subject to harmful or inappropriate content online.

Nial O’Keeffe, marketing director for PC World, said: “The explosion of wireless internet in homes, and the rising popularity of netbooks has fuelled a surge in the numbers of kids now able to access the internet.

"Surf Control-Plus is a simple and effective tool to help parents monitor and control what their kids are accessing online.”