MEDIA RELEASE - November 9, 2006

Parents can control their kid's use of cellphones

Article by: Dr Pieter Streicher, MD
Source: ITWeb Online

We are worried about our children's safety so we give them a cellphone. Then we worry that it gives them unsupervised access to the Internet or will be used irresponsibly to make calls or send SMSes. Cellphones are part of our daily life - we need to let our children understand that they are useful but can be abused.

Informed parenting

The best safeguard against cellphone abuse is to become familiar with cellphones and taking the time to educate your child on cellphone use.

• You pay the cellphone bill. Put rules in place when a cell phone can be used or when it should not be used.
• Agree what is an acceptable monthly cellphone bill and what the airtime limit is.
• Limit calls and SMS to certain cellphone numbers. Let your child know that they are not to answer a number they don't know and that SMS spam does not need a reply. (You can view the history of calls or SMS on the cellphone to see who is contacting your child).
• Use SMS rather than calling your child so they won't feel embarrassed about replying to you in front of their friends.
• Don't break your child's trust by reading their SMS's without asking them first.
• Ask your child what mobile content they would like to access. Do they want to download ringtones, wallpaper, games, information services or access mobile dating or instant messaging services?
• Make your child aware of the risk of giving their personal details and photograph, over the cell phone to someone they don't know or not know very well. Mobile dating services should not be accessed by a person under the age of eighteen
• Educate your child about responsible Internet habits. Websites such as Teenangels, NetSmart and NetFamily all offer helpful tips.

Vodacom allows cellphone users to block certain mobile adult content services and websites. Parents limit their children's access to the Internet by dialling *111*123# from the cellphone.

The Wireless Application Service Provider Association (WASPA) has content guidelines for premium rate SMS marketing and advertising campaigns (including mobile dating and adult content services). A person younger than eighteen years of age should only use premium rate SMS with the consent of parents. If a service provider is not complying with the code, parents can lodge a complaint with WASPA.