Image source, Thinkstock

Childcare Minister Mark McDonald intervenes to say he is aiming for more participation from parents and teachers.

Mr Gray says that is "heartening to hear".

The Labour MSP says trainee teachers do not believe that their training covers this. 

He says there must be more responsibility demanded from the companies and that they have only "scratched the surface" of their overall responsibilities. 

Mr Gray says the Tory amendment is right to demand that parliament is kept updated. 

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Iain Gray says MSP unite on this topic drawn together "by our shared bewilderment".

Mr Gray says perhaps we are overprotective of children in the real world when the greatest risks are in the bedroom, school or their pocket where their smart phone lies.

He says: "The risks are real and not exaggerated". 

The Labour MSP says the risks seem to multiply everyday.

He says: "We have to admit we find these risks frightening and difficult to understand."

Image source, YouthLink Scotland

Mr Scott asks how parents, carers, teachers and young people cope with all this information which is "at their beck and call".

The Lib Dem MSP says there is currently no training for teachers on online safety and says one of the action points should specifically draw out a module on this.

He says he wants the government to build in a degree of knowledge and understanding during a teacher's training. 

Mr Scott says he hopes the government would consider how youth workers may be used as a resource to promote young people's safety online. 

He says "this world keeps evolving" and that he hopes the government will continue to work with teachers, pupils and YouthLink Scotland, external.

Image source, bbc

Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott says social media and the internet are a double edged sword.

Mr Scott quotes an article from the Times Education Scotland which says in 370 BC Socrates warned that the "new fangled writing" could lead to forgetfulness.

However he says the internet requires more safeguards than the introduction of writing and the printing press.

The Lib Dem MSP calls for more research in this area.

Here is the Lib Dem amendment.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Image source, Thinkstock

Ms Wells says she welcomes the minister's commitments on training.

The Tory MSP says the plan could go further on revenge porn and that this form of abuse is on the rise. 

She says advice for parents and children must be made available.

Ms Wells says her amendment asks for parliament to be kept updated. 

Image source, Police Scotland

Police Scotland launched its first public information campaign to tackle child sexual exploitation (CSE) in September.

It ran across social media and digital platforms warning potential and existing child sex predators that officers are "on to them".

Chief Constable Phil Gormley said he would not tolerate Scottish children being groomed.

The Scottish government supported the £40,000 campaign.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Annie Wells says children and young people can be bombarded with harmful texts and on social media.

Ms Wells says children and young people abused online often find it difficult to speak to parents.

She welcomes the government's action plan and calls for parents and teachers to work together.

The Tory MSP says it is imperative to strike the balance between monitoring our children's online activities with the freedom to explore the internet.

She says the action plan should go further, with a parent friendly website giving advice on how to spot online abuse.

Image source, The Internet Watch Foundation

The IWF, external minimises the availability of online sexual abuse content. Specifically:

• Child sexual abuse content* hosted anywhere in the world.
• Criminally obscene adult content hosted in the UK.
• Non-photographic child sexual abuse images hosted in the UK. 

The majority of our work focuses on the removal of child sexual abuse images and videos. 

Tory MSP Annie Wells says her party supports the government motion and Lib Dem amendment. 

Ms Wells says the IWF, external is one of the most successful hotlines in the world and it carries out outstanding work. 

The Tory MSP says the internet is a fantastic tool for educating children and young people. 

Ms Wells says the internet does have a sinister side which has brought about this debate and she welcomes the action plan to tackle abuse head on. 

"We must tackle the serious problem of cyber-bullying".

Here is the Tory amendment.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Image source, 5Rights

Mr McDonald says all children and young people must have the knowledge of their rights, to use the internet safely.

The childcare minister stresses the importance of peer mentoring.

The minister refers to the 5 rights framework., external

5Rights takes the existing rights of children and young people (under 18), and articulates them for the digital world. 

Signatories to the 5Rights framework believe that young people should be supported to access digital technologies creatively, knowledgeably and fearlessly.   

Mr McDonald says all schools are expected to develop an anti-bullying strategy which is also attributable to online. 

The childcare minister says children and young people will learn about the responsible use of the internet under the Curriculum for Excellence.

Labour MSP Daniel Johnston intervenes to ask the minister to elaborate on the training for existing teachers. 

Mr McDonald says the government is committed to teacher training. 

He says it is more important than ever for parents and carers to engage with measures. 

Image source, bbc

Almost a quarter of Scottish children who contacted Childline about bullying in the past year were concerned with online abuse,  figures published in November show.

The charity said 201 of the 873 counselling sessions it arranged were connected to cyber bullying.

Children as young as seven told Childline counsellors they were being tormented by malicious and hurtful messages.

Across the UK, the charity counselled 4,541 children about online bullying.

That 2015/2016 figure represented an 88% increase from 2,410 in 2011/12.

Matt Forde, national head of service for NSPCC Scotland, external, said: "Online bullying is one of the biggest child protection challenges of this generation."  

• Top tips to avoid cyber bullying

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson ask how parents can be supported in tackling this issue, as children are probably more expert in this environment.

Childcare Minister Mark McDonald says he agrees and say as a parent he finds it difficult to relate to the online activity his daughter engages in.

Mr McDonald says as the action plan was developed, children told the government their main concern was bullying online.

He says online bullying or cyber bullying should not be treated differently in any way from other types of bullying.

Image source, Peter Byrne

Mr McDoanld says over 4500 children per year are being harmed or potentially harmed online and that this could potentially be more.

The childcare minister says the government is committed to child protection training for those who work with children. 

He say he is happy to accept the Lib Dem amendment. 

Mr McDonald says social media companies must see the protection of children as a priority and "must do more to protect children from harmful content."

He says the government have committed to working with the digital media industry and carers. 

Childcare Minister Mark McDonald says there is greater interaction online than ever before.

Mr McDonald says increasing reliance in online technologies makes children potentially vulnerable.

He the internet is increasingly being used as a cover by those who wish to harm or abuse children.

Mr McDonald says over a six week period last summer 523 children were identifid as victims or potential victims of online child sexual abuse.

Childcare Minister Mark McDonald says on the 21 April he launched the national action plan for internet safety for children and young people.

Mr McDonald says he has worked with stakeholders on this plan.

The childcare minister says children should be protected, safe and supported in the digital world.

He says the online industry must play a role in protecting you people.

Mr McDonald says we must ensure the internet equips children. 

Image source, Scottish government

According to the Sccottish government he National Action Plan on Internet Safety for Children and Young People, external builds on actions set out in the 2010 Action Plan on Child Internet Safety and the 2011/12 Scottish Action Plan on Child Internet Safety and Responsible Use. 

The commitments included in these plans were structured under three broad aims: 

1. Giving everybody the skills, knowledge and understanding to help children and young people stay safe online: we will help parents, carers and people who work with children and families to understand how to help children stay safe online and how to deal with problems if they occur;
2.  Inspiring safe and responsible use and behaviour: we will make it clear that individuals, including children and young people themselves, need to take responsibility for their own online behaviour
3. Creating a safer online environment: we will work together to make sure that children are less likely to come across or get access to things online that are not suitable for them. 

This action plan aims to build on the progress already made under each of the above aims and has been developed in partnership with organisations with an interest in internet safety for children and young people.