There has been a lot of talk about mobile phone safety, but it has largely
focused on distraction while driving as well as the possibility that cell
phone use might cause health problems.
But now there's another reason to be concerned. Mobile phones in Japan
and Europe have been linked to harassment and sexual exploitation of both
children and adults.
Talk to Your
Kids
I'm not suggesting you ditch your cell phone. As a parent, you need
to talk with your children about how to protect themselves from exploitation,
bullying, and invasion of privacy, as well as an out-of-control phone
bill.
When cell phones were first introduced, they were expensive status symbols,
used mostly by business people. Now they're marketed at kids as young as
seven. The Yankee Group estimates that a third of U.S. children aged 10 to
19 already have cell phones, but their ranks will grow to two-thirds by 2005.
If Japan is any indication, that could be an understatement. Already, more
than 80 percent of Japanese high school students and 25 percent of junior
high students are equipped with mobile phones. Cell phones are also extremely
popular among kids in Europe. The majority of Britain's 7-to-16-year-olds
have cell phones, as do 75 percent of teenagers in Scandinavia.
A cell phone can be a great communications and safety tool. In addition
to keeping up with friends, kids can also use it to check in with parents,
respond to parents calls and phone for help in an emergency.
Putting the World in Children's
Hands
But there are some dangers associated with this technology. When you
put a cell phone in children's hands, you're giving them access to the world
and the world access to them, including when they're away from home and parental
supervision. What's more, today's cell phones are not just mobile telephones.
They're also Web browsers, instant messengers and e-mail terminals. In other
words, just about everything you can do from an Internet-connected PC, you
can also do from a cell phone.
The Japanese Cabinet Office surveyed teen use of mobile phones and found
that 30 percent of the females and 37 percent of males under 20 had accessed
"dating sites," which, in some cases, have led girls and women into unwanted
sexual encounters with men who expected more than just a "date."
Until recently most of the problems were related to "texting," but is
changing. Most companies now offer phones with color displays, built-in digital
cameras and the ability to instantly transmit photos from phone to phone,
via e-mail or to Web sites. There are also phones that can record moving
video.
What's more, cell phone companies are starting to roll out their
higher-speed networks, which make it practical to download graphics, photographs
and video along with sound and text. One company is even talking about
experimenting with downloading aroma, though it's not clear whether this
is something people will actually want.
A color screen means that your child can look at the same type of graphic
content available on the Internet from home. A built-in digital camera means
that your child can not only see inappropriate material, but can send it
as well. That's my biggest concern. Kids -- and adults, for that matter --
need to be extremely cautious about the way they use this new technology,
especially when it comes to sharing digital photos or movies. Pushing a few
telephone buttons can send a child's image, phone number and mobile e-mail
address to the wrong person. It’s even possible to use your cell phone
to instantly post photos on the Web for all to see. Already, some gyms have
banned cell phones in the locker room because of concerns about inappropriate
photographs.
You should also be concerned by the fact that phones are phones. Predators
cannot only send kids messages, but they can also call them to arrange meetings.
Because kids can access the phone while they're away from home, they're
particularly vulnerable because they are out of their parents’ reach.
It's common practice in Europe for predators to groom a child on the Internet
and then contact that child via cell phone to arrange a face-to-face
meeting.
The user of a cell phone is not necessarily anonymous. Although it can
be disabled, most cell phones have caller ID on by default. That means that
when you call or send a text message to someone, you are giving that person
your phone number, which he or she can use to make harassing calls as well
as to send unwanted instant messages and e-mail. It's not uncommon for bullies
to use cell phones to harass other kids and, tragically, it's not unheard
of for children to be contacted on their cell phone by adult predators.
Bullies Packing Cell
Phones
Bullying by cell phone is becoming a major problem in the United Kingdom.
A survey conducted by a British group found that "mobile phones appear to
be the most commonly abused medium with 16% of young people saying they’d
received bullying or threatening text messages, followed by 7% who had been
harassed in Internet chat-rooms and 4% via e-mail." If your child experiences
harassing phone calls or text messages, call the provider to see about getting
the number changed.
There is another potential problem. The Federal Communications Commission
has mandated that phones be equipped with "geo location" systems designed
to make it possible for others to pinpoint exactly where the phone is located.
The main purpose of this system is to enable 911 operators to locate cell
phone callers in case of an emergency, but there also are planned commercial
uses of this technology to allow businesses to offer location-based products
and services to cell phone users. While privacy safeguards will be built
in, they can also be defeated. As these services become available, children
and adults need to learn how to control them so that they are not used for
the wrong purposes.
As if all this is not enough, there is the issue of cost. Unless they
are careful, kids can easily spend $100 or more a month on cell phone fees.
Many plans have free nights and weekends, but make sure your child knows
the company’s definition of "night," which sometimes starts as late
as 9 p.m. Also, there is typically a charge for both incoming and outgoing
text messages, Web access, and special features such as downloading games,
screen savers and ring tones. One way to control costs is to get your children
a pre-paid service. When they are out of money, their phone stops working,
other than to call 911. Another is to talk with your provider about package
deals. At the very least, talk with your kids about using their phone
responsibly.
ASKACOP.org