it4L

E-mail from ‘Think You Know for Parents’:

Dear Parent,

Thank you for registering for up-to-date advice that over time will help you and your child or children stay safe from sexual predators on the internet. Each month we will cover a specific topic of interest, explain some of the terminology being used and advise you on how to work with your child to understand what they are doing online and what precautions they should be taking.

April’s email covers mobile phones and wireless technology.

Mobile phones have become an integral part of everyday life, for children and adults alike. No longer are phones used just for making calls - text messaging, picture messaging and accessing the internet are now more popular than ever before. In the UK alone, 6.3 billion texts were sent during January 2008 (source www.text.it <file://www.text.it> ). 

•  
  • A large number of new mobile phones now have internet access, and children and young people are increasingly viewing their social networking sites and other web pages from their mobile phone. This means that there are no restrictions as to where and when young people are using online environments and there is no parental or teacher supervision.
  • With the advent of picture and video messaging, children and young people need to think about the images they share with one another. It is easy for inappropriate images to be shared around by texting or using Bluetooth. These images can then be changed and uploaded to the internet for other people to see.  Once images are on the internet they will be on there forever.
  •  ‘Happy Slapping’ is something that is also increasing with the use of mobile phones. Children are engaging in inappropriate behaviour, filming it on their phones and then either sending it to friends or uploading it to the internet for other people to view. This is also known as ‘self generated content.
    

Bluetooth

•  
  • Having Bluetooth enabled on your mobile phone and ‘visible to all’, heightens the risk of someone hacking into it. People can gain access to text messages, photos and also contacts using Bluetooth technology, so it is essential that Bluetooth only be enabled when in use. ‘Visible to all’ means that your phone will be seen by all people who also have their Bluetooth enabled within a certain distance.
  • Having Bluetooth enabled and visible to all means that viruses can also be spread - no longer are viruses just spread using computers.  Considering mobile phones are more and more integral to the way people live and work, this poses a risk.
  • Bluetooth operates between devices if they are within a certain distance to each other- this is typically within 30 feet. This means that if you go out of range you will no longer be able to connect to other devices.
    

Wireless technology

•  
  • Wireless technology allows people to access the internet using someone else’s connection - without paying. This can be a security risk, especially if the connection is from someone’s house. If someone uses your wireless connection to access the internet and accesses inappropriate material, it will go back to you- the person who pays for the connection. This is also a good way of spreading viruses from computer to computer.
  • The hotspot areas are patchy and not always reliable, so the connection may drop out at any time.
  • Wireless technology is now the most popular way for people to access the internet whilst at home. It allows people, no matter where they are in the house to access the internet. But it also enables people to access the internet from their mobile phones- and this can be particularly risky when children do this.
    

What can parents do to minimise the risks associated with mobile phones and wireless technologies…

•  
  • Mobile phone numbers are personal to the user and should not be given out. Children and young people should be encouraged to think about who they are texting and talking to on their phones - some people they meet may not be fully trustworthy so they need to be cautious about how much personal information they give about themselves.
  • Children and young people should be made aware of the implications of posting inappropriate content on the internet or sending it on to others. Malicious communication is a criminal offence under the Telecommunications Act.
  • Bluetooth should only be enabled on phones when it is needed- if it is kept on all the time not only will it use up the battery quickly, but it also enables people – if they wish- to hack into phones and steal information.
  • If Bluetooth is enabled on a phone, there is an option to give the phone a name. If children and young people want to do this, they should use a nickname rather than their real name. Giving their real name is giving out personal information and they will have no control over information people can access if their phone is hacked into.
  • If the family computer is in a public area for all to see, children may go to their bedrooms and access the internet using their mobile phones where no one can monitor them. We encourage parents to talk to their children and young people to raise awareness of the dangers.
    

For more information on how to keep your children safe whilst using mobile phones and wireless technology, visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents <http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents>