The rise of the internet as the first port of call for information, communication and social interaction in particular has given children access to a bombardment of often contradictory information. Children also possess a capacity to grasp technology that often their parents cannot match. The emergence of websites promoting suicide, anorexia and bulimia are of particular concern because of the difficulties with policing the internet.

While the owners of Bebo . . . a social networking site that posts one million Irish accounts . . . have made their best efforts to provide a safe environment for children to socialise, parents are still under-monitoring this very new platform of interaction.

Internet providers were urged last month to block sites that support and encourage suicide. Researchers at the University of Ulster made the call as part of a study into suicide trends in Derry over a five-year period. A lack of professional support services, along with the promotion and use of self-harm websites, were likely contributors to an increased rate of suicide, they found.

The study looked at 60 deaths in the Derry area between January 2000 and December 2005. Over 83% of those who died were male, with the highest proportion aged between 21 and 30 years.

The teen magazine market is often blamed for placing too much emphasis on dieting and promoting unrealistic ideals of body shape.

Joan Freeman, who works at Pieta House with people who self-harm, said:

"One of the questions we ask people when they come in is why did they start to self-harm. For some people it just seems to be a very natural solution but for others it is because they saw it on the internet or read about it in one of these teen magazines.

"Some of the magazines have screaming headlines about cutting yourself that almost suggest to young girls that this is the way of coping with their emotions."

Lily Glowatzki, who developed an eating disorder at the age of 12, said growing up as a teenager is hard enough without being pressurised by sections of the media to attain physical perfection.

"I really think children are under huge pressure from TV, films and magazines. Everything is about appearance. It's hard not to be influenced and not let your life be dictated by it."

Dr John Griffin, clinical director of the eating disorder programme at St Patrick's hospital in Dublin, said the age-profile of children developing eating disorders was lowering, which was in part due to the influence of the media.

"But as well as the media, parents have to also look at their behavior. I'm not blaming mothers but if they are always counting calories and on various diets this will influence their children.

This is an example of how the parents themselves are being influenced by the media and how powerful it is."