The internet gets a big vote of confidence in a survey of parents which suggests most trust their children to use it sensibly.

About half of the parents surveyed do have concerns about violent or sexually explicit material, and feel the need to supervise their children's net use most or all of the time.

But almost all - 96% - do not think their children have ever actually been upset by something they have seen on the internet.

And three quarters think that being able to use the net has a positive influence on their youngsters' education.

The survey, involving interviews with 199 parents in Britain with children aged six to 14, was carried out by researchers Mori for the Reader's Digest.

'Benefits'

The Digest's editor-in-chief, Russell Twisk, said it suggested that parents felt their children's use of the internet was innocent enough.

"Although half the parents polled are concerned about the dangers lurking on the net, the vast majority are very positive about the internet's benefits and believe it helps their children."

He said phone charge in the UK explained why British users - unlike those in the United States - spent less time surfing the net.

In the survey, only 2% were online for more than 11 hours a week and four out of five parents disagreed with the opinion that their children spent too much time on the internet.

An even bigger proportion thought their children were no less physically active or sociable as a result of using it.

There was an awareness of the potential dangers of letting children have net-capable computers in their own bedrooms.

A fifth of the children had such access, but most were using computers in communal parts of the home.