SOCIAL networking sites are more concerned about their profits than protecting children from online dangers such as sexual abuse and cyber-bullying, the NSPCC warned yesterday.

The children’s charity has accused companies of not doing enough to protect youngsters from predators and bullies.

Thousands of children have asked for help in dealing with abuse on the internet and many more are at risk, it claims.

NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said: “The internet … has grown rapidly over the last 10 years but the industry as a whole is not yet prioritising child safety in the way that it should. This just isn’t good enough.

“For children, online and offline is just one world and as parents and carers we need the confidence and skills to teach them that talking to a stranger in the street is no different to talking to a stranger online.”

NSPCC has teamed up with telecoms giant O2 to try to tackle the problem of online child abuse and is calling on other organisations to get involved.