More than 25 per cent of Australian fathers use Facebook to keep track of their social networking children, with one in four admitting visiting their kid’s pages is their favourite thing to do on Facebook, a new Telstra study reveals.

Telstra spokesperson Craig Middleton said the explosion in mobile Internet-connected devices gives busy dads another way to connect with their kids.

“For one in five tablet-owning dads, entertaining the kids is the main reason for their use, with one-third admitting their kids use the gadget the same amount, or even more, than they do,” he said.

Telstra’s research also revealed one in 10 dads have been "defriended" by their child on Facebook, with children over 16 most likely to decline their dads’ friend requests.

Northern Territory dads are the most likely in Australia to use Facebook daily, with 67 per cent logging on every day, higher than the national average of 45 per cent.

Only 33 per cent of dads use Facebook on a daily basis, compared to more than 75 per cent of mums.

Almost 20 per cent of dads admitted being worried about doing something embarrassing on Facebook, such as accidentally posting a wrong photo or messaging the wrong people.

Middleton said parents were often surprised at how much they learnt about their kids on social networking sites.

“Online, everyone has one degree of separation, and it’s the search button. Families should be careful about how much personal information they display and if you’re worried about certain people trying to ‘friend’ you, simply adjust your privacy settings and make yourself invisible to them.”