Over a third of Irish children share their personal data online.

The research commissioned by ZenithOptimedia and Ignite showed that children are as young as eight when they start to have regular access to the internet.

Nearly half of Irish children use Facebook and one third use Snapchat.

The research also revealed that most Irish parents do not trust social media sites to protect their children’s data, with Snapchat and Tinder perceived to be the least trustworthy.

Deputy MD at ZenithOptimedia, Declan Kelly said: “We carried out this research to look at how Irish people are using the internet, and particularly data security among children.

“It is worrying that more than a third of Irish children are providing personal information to social media sites, given that they are accessing the internet from as young as eight and across multiple devices.

“Parents need to be vigilant and oversee what information their children are providing online.”