A police detective from the State Crime Command's Child Exploitation Internet Unit allegedly posed as a 14-year-old boy and communicated with the 25-year-old Forster man over an internet chat site between September 2008 and March this year.

About 4pm Monday the man attended Forster Police Station, where he was questioned by police and charged with use carriage service to groom persons under 16 years.

He was granted conditional bail with strict limitations regarding internet use and interaction with persons under the age of 18. He will appear at Forster Local Court on August 5.

Sex Crimes Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent John Kerlatec, said, "The internet can be a great tool for children, however it does come with risks and social networking sites can be potentially dangerous for children if they are left unsupervised.

"Detectives conduct regular online operations in an effort to detect and target online sexual predators, however the role of parents is crucial in assisting in the prevention of child internet exploitation.

"We strongly encourage all parents to take the time to sit down with their children and to discuss the dangers of internet use to arm children with the knowledge and skills of how to stay safe," Det Supt Kerlatec said.