Digital Parenting and Safety Blog

Today's cell phones are tiny supercomputers that require just as much parental monitoring as laptops and desktops. Here are 4 things you should be aware of when monitoring your child's cell phone.

1. Texting

Texting sure is a handy way to exchange quick messages with your child when you're running late or want to remind them of something, but texting has the potential to get kids in a lot of trouble. Texts are easily forwarded, and whatever kids text could end up in the whole school's inbox the next day.

It's also easy to misread someone's intentions in a text message. The anonymity of texting also makes it easier for a child to slip into cyberbullying and rude behavior. While you're talking about sexting, make it clear that there are certain times when texting should be off-limits (in class, for example.)

2. Sexting

Kids might think it's no big deal to send out a sext of themselves or forward a sext of someone else that they receive, but consequences can be heavy. Possessing or distributing nude pictures of a minor (even if it's a picture they took of themselves) could be illegal.

Kids who participate in sexting could be suspended from school or convicted of child pornography. Not to mention that it could be severely embarrassing or even dangerous if their sext goes viral.

3. Cyberbullying

If your child carries a cell phone, it gives bullies 24/7 access to them. Talk about what to do if a bully bothers them, and let them know that they can always talk to you and you won't overreact.

Bullying is more than just sending rude or threatening texts. Your child is being cyberbullied if others are flooding their phone with texts, signing them up for porn or junk mail, or impersonating them online.

4. Predators

Kids who begin talking to a predator online will soon be asked for their cell number, or a predator they meet may even offer to give them their own personal cell phone as a gift.

Predators know that cell phones are not usually well-monitored, and it gives them the ability to more directly connect with your child behind your back.

Talk with your child about these 4 issues, and just as importantly, follow through by monitoring your child's cell phone activity on a regular basis. Your teen most likely can't live without his or her phone, and it's up to you to help them use it safely.

It's easy to focus on the desktop or laptop computer in our child's life and forget that the Internet is just as accessible from the cell phone hidden in their pocket. Previously we mentioned 4 reasons to monitor your child´s cell phone.  Internet dangers don't become less prevalent or less serious because our kids are on a phone instead of a computer.

• Site blocking and Content Filtering – blocks inappropriate sites based on algorithms that determine content, can be purchased software or a built-in component of your PC or the search engine you use

• Keystroke Logging – keeps track of user names and passwords entered online

• Time Allowance – controls duration and times of day when Internet use is allowed

• IM,Chat, and Email Logging – keeps records of both sides of virtual conversations your child has

• Built-in Controls – almost every computer, phone, and gaming console has options for parents to filter, limit, or block certain features of online use

• Web-based services – monitors your child's online activity, delivers regular reports to you, and usually alerts you immediately if dangerous activity is detected

• Parental Involvement – knowing where and when your child is online and actively enforcing household rules about Internet use,

“Is it spying or is it good parenting when parents closely monitor teens’ online activity?” asks Tony Anscombe. “Parenting teens that have grown up alongside the Internet and with mobile phones in hand requires an entirely new set of rules and tactics.  Our research reveals that while parents trust their teens to do the right thing, such as avoiding pornography on the Internet and “sexting,” they are still concerned about their children’s safety and how teens’ online behavior may affect their future careers.”

For generations, parents have been suspicious of teens’ social activities – and have employed any number of tactics to uncover the truth. Today’s parents are no exception; they simply have more channels to monitor. The fifth Digital Diaries installment conducted by AVG Technologies revealed that 60 percent of American parents surveyed admit to accessing teens’ Facebook accounts without their knowledge, with moms most likely to be the guilty party.

Xbox LIVE is the online sevice for the Xbox 360. With a paid gold membership and a set of headphones, your child can play online with a community of 40 million other users worldwide.

This can be seriously awesome for the gaming enthusiast in your house, but there are 10 important things parents should know about Xbox LIVE and keeping kids safe before setting it up for their child.

NEW PHILADELPHIA — The Tuscarawas County Public Library-New Philadelphia will offer cyberbullying prevention programs for youth and parents on Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12.

Although Facebook and MySpace might be the sites that first come to mind when I say “social network,” it's really more than just that. Lots of big, popular places that your tween or teens visits frequently are actually social networks, and the same kids safety rules and precautions need to apply.

Hey, parents. Just when you were getting used to this whole Facebook thing – you probably set up a profile, friended your kids, and are loving that you can communicate with all your friends near and far – it turns out that Facebook is becoming... uncool.

Following Mondays article on parental monitoring and why you should be doing it, I thought we'd follow up with some tips for monitoring his or her phone. I am noticing more and more teens scrolling through Facebook pictures and checking their emails using their mobile phone all the time. And it's not just me.

Facebook's recent acquisition of Instagram, a photo sharing app for mobile devices, shows that users are increasingly going online using a phone.

Even so, statistics show that far fewer parents monitor their child's cell phone as rigorously as they do other Internet-enabled devices, like a laptop or desktop PC. If this is you, don't feel bad – start keeping your kids safer today with these 10 parental monitoring tips for cell phones.