Cell Phone Safety: Digitally Tethered Teens and Other Modern Dilemmas

1. Cell Phone Safety:Digitally Tethered Teens andOther Modern Dilemmas • Dr. Charles D. Knutson • Brigham Young University • www.charlesknutson.net

2. Cell phones • Increasingly a fact of life • Growth over last 10 years • From 34 million to 203 million • Estimated two billion cell phones worldwide • 4.5 billion people without cell phones • That includes babies ;)

3. Some statistics • 2004 MIT survey • Cell phone ranked as the one invention people hate the most, but can’t live without • Beat 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"

4. Some statistics • Telephia survey: • Americans average 13 talking hours a month • 26 mins/day • 18-24 age group averages 22 hours • 44 mins/day

5. Some statistics • Let's Talk Survey: • OK to use cell phone in the bathroom • 2000 – 39% • 2002 – 47% • 2003 – 62% • 2006 – 38%

6. Some statistics • Let's Talk Survey: • OK to use cell phone in a movie theater • 2000 – 11% • 2002 – 6% • 2003 – 3% • 2006 – 2%

7. Some statistics • Let's Talk Survey: • OK to use cell phone in the car • 2000 – 76% • 2002 – 46% • 2003 – 48% • 2006 – 63%

8. Some statistics • Let's Talk Survey: • OK to use cell phone in the supermarket • 2000 – 60% • 2002 – 53% • 2003 – 61% • 2006 – 66%

9. Some statistics • Let's Talk Survey: • OK to use cell phone on public transportation • 2000 – 52% • 2002 – 45% • 2003 – 53% • 2006 – 45%

10. Some statistics • Let's Talk Survey: • OK to use cell phone in a restaurant • 2000 – 31% • 2002 – 28% • 2003 – 29% • 2006 – 21%

11. Dilemma of societal shift • Technology arrives first • Society begins to adopt • Then begins to adapt • Early stages are very difficult • True of any technology • Eventually societal norms established • Always a new wave of "newbies" • Technology tough because the parents are often less literate

12. Cell phone etiquette • When and when not to take a call • Gauge criticality vs. situation • Voice messaging helps • Text messaging helps • Vibrate or silent ring helps • Priority to the person you're with • Especially if it's a store teller!

13. Dr. K's blog

14. Cell phone etiquette • In a dark theater, your cell phone lights up like a Christmas tree! • For the people sitting behind you • Whether or not you're talking • True of any dark location

15. Cell phone etiquette • Communication volume • Yes, 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

16. 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

17. Cell phone etiquette • Wearing the earpiece when not on the phone… • This is not generally a flattering image • Think... The Borg

18. Cell phone features • Fancy features becoming standard • Camera, video, graphic interface, video and photo display, gaming • Yesteryear's personal computer is now… • your phone! • Feature acceleration

19. Cell phone features • All of the guidelines and concerns about computers and the Internet now apply to cell phones • Except the cell phone is in your teen's pocket, backpack, bedroom… • New set of challenges

20. Cell phone features • New iPhone has phone, Web browser, text messaging, email, camera, photo browser, and a YouTube button • And now tons of downloadable applications from third-party vendors • Most are inexpensive • Dr. K sez: Do not give your kids a high-powered cell phone! • Provide the wimpiest phone money can buy!

21. Cell phone concerns • Content • Most cell phones have Web browsing capability • Growing access point for pornography • Parental controls • Emerging capabilities • Providers beginning to respond to parental concerns • Often the youth can turn on Internet capability

22. Text messaging • Incredibly useful feature • Teens need to learn etiquette • Don'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!

23. Driving safety • Japan study of cell phone accidents • 32% dialing • 42% responding to a call • 16% talking • 5% hanging up

24. Driving safety • Each year in the U.S., cell phone distraction causes • 2,600 deaths • 330,000 injuries

25. Driving safety • Drivers talking on cell phones • 18 percent slower to react to brake lights • 12 percent greater following distance (+) • 17 percent longer to regain the speed they lost when they braked • Less adept than drunken drivers with blood alcohol levels exceeding 0.08

26. 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 distraction • Independent of hands being occupied

27. Driving safety • Be very cautious about talking on cell phone while driving • Ability to multitask varies • Be honest with yourself! • Never *ever* text while driving • All of these rules apply more strongly to teens and less experienced drivers

28. Sexting • Taking and texting nude or semi-nude pictures • Primarily between High School and Junior high teens • Technically child porn • Laws rapidly catching up to this growing phenomenon

29. Sexting

30. 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 girls • 18% of teen boys • 11% of young teen girls (ages 13-16)

31. 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 women • 31% of young adult men

32. Some statistics • How many teens have sent or posted sexually suggestive images in text messages? • 39% of all teens • 37% of teen girls • 40% of teen boys

33. Some statistics • Receiving sexually suggestive images in text messages • 48% of teens say they have received such messages • 59% of all young adults • 56% of young adult women • 62% of young adult men • 64% of young adults say they have received such messages

34. Some statistics • 70% of teen sexting is between boyfriend and girlfriend • And then spreads all around school • 20% of teen sexting sent to someone they want to date or hook up with • This generation's version of flirting

35. Some statistics • 40% of teens have received sexually suggesting text messages or emails that were passed around • Not originally intended for them

36. Some statistics • Most common reason cited for sending sexting • To 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%)

37. 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

38. 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

39. Parenting tips • Limit access to cell phones • A cell phone is not a right • It's a privilege • Consider check-out system • Checked out as-needed, then checked back in • Failure to check out loses privilege • Swap phones so not the same number for same kid every time • Check text messages

40. Parenting tips • Check with your service provider about parental controls and filters • Check your monthly bill to look for additional charges • Wallpaper (images) • Internet turned on • Text messages over the limit • Data charges for data sent or received • Ring tones

41. Parenting tips • Text your teen... • Reach out to teens on their turf • Sometimes can make very positive spiritual impact on your child • Look for positive uses for texting • Shopping list at the store • Message in a meeting when you can't take a phone call • Quick news without call interruption

42. Parenting tips • Other positives • Contact with your children when they're out on their own • Scriptures on your PDA/phone :) • Consider GPS tracking • May be unpopular with teens

43. Personal tip • Figure out where your comfort zone is with cell phones in your life • For yourself, for your family, for your teens • Don't be ignorant of the challenges • Don't give in to peer pressure • For yourself or for your kids

44. Questions? • Internet Safety Podcast • www.internetsafetypodcast.com • Internet Safety Wiki • wiki.internetsafetypodcast.com Dr. Charles Knutson knutson@cs.byu.edu