Kids' tool for dobbing in cyber predators as simple as joining the dots

Children can anonymously report cyber predators through a new online program developed by police and child protection advocates.

The Join the Dots program was launched in Brisbane today as part of International Safer Internet Day.

The reporting tool has been developed by Bravehearts and Task Force Argos, the Queensland Police Service's online child exploitation unit.

It is the first of its kind in Australia, and will allow children to anonymously send information directly to Bravehearts about behaviour they find threatening.

Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnston said her staff would forward this information to police.

"By taking a lead on this, they become the guardians of their domain," she said.

"People should be able to use the internet without having to worry about the creepers who troll through their space."

Police laid more than 370 child exploitation charges in Australia in 2012-13.

Queensland police say detectives catch at least one online sex predator targeting children every week. They arrested eight people for online grooming between mid-November and December last year.