A six-month study into online child safety has recommended new regulations to minimise the risk from computer use.

The Byron Review into Children and New Technology has proposed the creation of a new agency, the UK Council for Child Internet Safety, that will report directly to the prime minister.

The review also recommends reforming and extending current games ratings standards, and improving the control of user-generated content to ensure that some material never gets online.

"The internet and video games are very much a part of growing up and offer unprecedented opportunities to learn, develop and have fun. But with new opportunities come potential risks," said Dr Tanya Byron, a clinical psychologist who prepared the report.

"My recommendations will help children and young people make the most of digital and interactive technologies, while enabling them and their parents to navigate all these new media waters safely.

"They will also have the knowledge that more is being done by government and the internet and video game industries to help and support them."

Education will play a key role in the recommendations. Children need to be educated about online risks, and parents need to be informed about available monitoring software.

Video games ratings will be brought closer to film ratings to make them easier to understand. How and where games can be advertised is also to be examined.