Adolescent children are more likely to engage in juvenile cybercrimes such as hacking and online bullying if their friends are into it, a new study on peer influence has suggested.

The study, which consisted of surveying 435 middle- and high-school students, showed that the biggest predictor of how likely a child is to engage in illegal online activities is whether his or her friends have committed cybercrimes. Previous research has primarily focused on college students.

The study showed that a lack of self-control is also a major predictor of children's cybercrimes.

Risk-taking, impulsive kids are more likely than other children to act on an opportunity to commit illegal online activities, said Thomas Holt, a Michigan State University criminologist who led the study.

"It's important to know what your kids are doing when they're online and who they are associating with both online and offline," Holt was quoted as saying by LiveScience.


Cybercrimes include digital piracy, such as "stealing" music or movie files by downloading them without paying, or online bullying and harassment, which can consist of sending threatening or sexual messages via email or text message.

Computer hacking, also known as cybertrespassing, and viewing online pornography, which is illegal for those under 18, are also cybercrimes.

The researchers, who detailed their findings in the American Journal of Criminal Justice, recommended that parents place parental-control software on their children's computers.

However, they warned that many kids can work around these programmes. "It's not just enough to have a Net Nanny," Holt said.

"Parents need to be more proactive with their kids and discuss these ethical dilemmas to using a computer, such as whether it's right or wrong to steal music or to download something without paying for it," he added.