cell phone safety: digitally tethered teens and other modern dilemmas

© 2009 Charles D. Knutson

Cell Phone Safety:Digitally Tethered Teens and

Other Modern Dilemmas

Dr. Charles D. Knutson

Brigham Young University

www.charlesknutson.net


Cell phones

Increasingly a fact of lifeGrowth over last 10 years

From 34 million to 203 millionEstimated two billion cell phones

worldwide4.5 billion people without cell phonesThat includes babies ;)

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Some statistics

2004 MIT surveyCell phone ranked as the one invention

people hate the most, but can’t live withoutBeat out alarm clock and television!

A 2005 University of Michigan study:83% said cell phones made life easier

More than those who said "The Internet"

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Some statistics

Telephia survey:Americans average 13 talking hours a

month26 mins/day

18-24 age group averages 22 hours44 mins/day

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Some statistics

Let's Talk Survey:OK to use cell phone in the bathroom

2000 – 39%2002 – 47%2003 – 62%2006 – 38%

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Some statistics

Let's Talk Survey:OK to use cell phone in a movie theater

2000 – 11%2002 – 6%2003 – 3%2006 – 2%

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Some statistics

Let's Talk Survey:OK to use cell phone in the car

2000 – 76%2002 – 46%2003 – 48%2006 – 63%

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Some statistics

Let's Talk Survey:OK to use cell phone in the supermarket

2000 – 60%2002 – 53%2003 – 61%2006 – 66%

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Some statistics

Let's Talk Survey:OK to use cell phone on public

transportation2000 – 52%2002 – 45%2003 – 53%2006 – 45%

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Some statistics

Let's Talk Survey:OK to use cell phone in a restaurant

2000 – 31%2002 – 28%2003 – 29%2006 – 21%

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Dilemma of societal shift

Technology arrives firstSociety begins to adoptThen begins to adaptEarly stages are very difficult

True of any technologyEventually societal norms established

Always a new wave of "newbies"Technology tough because the parents

are often less literate

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Cell phone etiquette

When and when not to take a callGauge criticality vs. situation

Voice messaging helpsText messaging helpsVibrate or silent ring helps

Priority to the person you're withEspecially if it's a store teller!

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Dr. K's blog

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In a dark theater, your cell phone lights up like a Christmas tree!For the people sitting behind you

Whether or not you're talkingTrue of any dark location

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Communication volumeYes, we can hear you

"People act as if they're walking through life in a cone of silence in which only they and the other person on the end of the line can hear them. They can talk quite loudly, and they can talk about things that people around them don't really want to hear about."

-- Honore Ervin

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Some statistics

81% of people have been irritated by loud and/or obnoxious cell phone calls in public places

10% admitted to getting stares or criticism due to their own cell phone habits in public

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Wearing the earpiece when not on the phone…

This is not generally a flattering image

Think... The Borg

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Cell phone features

Fancy features becoming standardCamera, video, graphic interface,

video and photo display, gamingYesteryear's personal computer is

now…your phone!

Feature acceleration

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Cell phone features

All of the guidelines and concerns about computers and the Internet now apply to cell phonesExcept the cell phone is in your teen's

pocket, backpack, bedroom…New set of challenges

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Cell phone featuresNew iPhone has phone, Web browser,

text messaging, email, camera, photo browser, and a YouTube button

And now tons of downloadable applications from third-party vendorsMost are inexpensive

Dr. K sez: Do not give your kids a high-powered cell phone!Provide the wimpiest phone money can buy!

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Cell phone concerns

ContentMost cell phones have Web browsing

capabilityGrowing access point for pornography

Parental controlsEmerging capabilitiesProviders beginning to respond to

parental concernsOften the youth can turn on Internet

capability21


Text messaging

Incredibly useful featureTeens need to learn etiquetteDon't expect your friends to text you

back immediately, no matter what"wht u doin?""nthg u?""nthg lol""lol"

Shouldn't take over your life!

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Driving safety

Japan study of cell phone accidents32% dialing42% responding to a call16% talking5% hanging up

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Driving safety

Each year in the U.S., cell phone distraction causes2,600 deaths330,000 injuries

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Driving safety

Drivers talking on cell phones18 percent slower to react to brake

lights12 percent greater following distance

(+)17 percent longer to regain the speed

they lost when they brakedLess adept than drunken drivers

with blood alcohol levels exceeding 0.08

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Driving safety

No difference in accident statistics between drivers using hand-held cell phones compared to those using a hands-free cell phone device

Seems to be a fundamental mental distractionIndependent of hands being occupied

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Driving safety

Be very cautious about talking on cell phone while drivingAbility to multitask variesBe honest with yourself!

Never *ever* text while drivingAll of these rules apply more

strongly to teens and less experienced drivers

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Sexting

Taking and texting nude or semi-nude pictures

Primarily between High School and Junior high teens

Technically child pornLaws rapidly catching up to this

growing phenomenon

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Sexting

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Some statistics

How many teens say they have sent or posted nude or seminude pictures or video of themselves?20% of teens overall

22% of teen girls18% of teen boys11% of young teen girls (ages 13-16)

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Some statistics

How many young adults are sending or posting nude or seminude images of themselves?33% of young adults overall

36% of young adult women31% of young adult men

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Some statistics

How many teens have sent or posted sexually suggestive images in text messages?39% of all teens

37% of teen girls40% of teen boys

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Some statistics

Receiving sexually suggestive images in text messages48% of teens say they have received

such messages59% of all young adults

56% of young adult women62% of young adult men

64% of young adults say they have received such messages

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Some statistics

70% of teen sexting is between boyfriend and girlfriendAnd then spreads all around school

20% of teen sexting sent to someone they want to date or hook up withThis generation's version of flirting

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Some statistics

40% of teens have received sexually suggesting text messages or emails that were passed aroundNot originally intended for them

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Some statistics

Most common reason cited for sending sextingTo be "fun or flirtatious" (66%)As a "sexy present" from a teen girl to

her boyfriend (52%)In response to having received it (44%)As a joke (40%)

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Emotional isolation

Independent of all of the moral concerns…Teens with unfettered access to cell

phones tend to become emotionally isolated

Overly connected with friends and influences outside the family

More vulnerable to predators and high risk behaviors

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Parenting tips

Understand all the features of your teen's phone

Significantly more difficult to track and manage content on a cell phone

The "no computer in the bedroom" rule is now much more complicated

Don't buy your teen the latest and greatest phone with all the features

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Parenting tips

Limit access to cell phonesA cell phone is not a right

It's a privilegeConsider check-out system

Checked out as-needed, then checked back in

Failure to check out loses privilegeSwap phones so not the same number

for same kid every timeCheck text messages

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Parenting tips

Check with your service provider about parental controls and filters

Check your monthly bill to look for additional chargesWallpaper (images)Internet turned onText messages over the limitData charges for data sent or receivedRing tones

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Parenting tips

Text your teen...Reach out to teens on their turfSometimes can make very positive

spiritual impact on your childLook for positive uses for texting

Shopping list at the storeMessage in a meeting when you can't

take a phone callQuick news without call interruption

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Parenting tips

Other positivesContact with your children when they're

out on their ownScriptures on your PDA/phone :)Consider GPS tracking

May be unpopular with teens

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Personal tip

Figure out where your comfort zone is with cell phones in your lifeFor yourself, for your family, for your

teensDon't be ignorant of the challengesDon't give in to peer pressure

For yourself or for your kids

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Questions?

Internet Safety Podcastwww.internetsafetypodcast.com

Internet Safety Wikiwiki.internetsafetypodcast.com

Dr. Charles Knutson

[email protected]

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