Advice for parents
Mobile phones and the accompanying apps are at the centre of many children’s lives. From an early age, they want to use technology to connect with friends and family. Whether it’s to document their lives, create digital content or play online games the mobile phone is usually their device of choice. A mobile phone provides individual, anytime, anywhere access, a sense of freedom and independence.
For many parents, knowing that their child has a mobile phone provides a sense of security. But mobile phones do have their downsides for children.
Some of the negative effects of phone ownership include:
- Sharing too much personal information, such as full name, location or images
- Cyberbullying from peers, real friends, online ‘friends’ and strangers
- Unwanted or inappropriate contact
- Access to inappropriate content
- Excessive screen time
- Behaving inappropriately or unkindly online
- Losing control of spending on in-app purchases
- Becoming a victim of fraud
How can I manage the risks?
There are lots of steps that parents and carers can take to reduce the risk of harm. These include: installing a parental control app on the phone, helping children understand what sort of information it is ok to share online and which information needs to be protected and ensuring that children can always turn to you for help when things go wrong.
Parental Controls on mobile phones
Parental controls can help reduce some of the potential risks of mobile phone usage. These settings block particular websites, set time and spending limits and set up password-only access to some phone functions. Internet Matters has guidance on how to set up parental controls.
Talking to your children about thier mobile phones
Talk to your children about their phone use. Find out what they enjoy doing on the phone and maybe have a go yourself. Ask them what advice they would give to someone who was experiencing problems with, for example, unwanted contact or bullying. Come up with some solutions together such as, taking a screenshot or telling a trusted adult. You might want to draw up a family agreement on how mobile phones may be used. Agree each person will do if something goes wrong. Include what you as parents will or won’t do as well as what your child should or should not do. The main reason that children don’t tell when something goes wrong online is the fear of losing their phone.
What to do if things go wrong
Children do get things wrong. They take risks and misread situations. It is part of growing. When it happens to your child try to stay calm and reassure them that you are there to help them. They may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed telling you what has happened. Although you may be shocked or upset by what you hear or see try not to be judgemental.
Should the incident involves some form of bullying, contact your children’s school (or the organisation that the others involved in the bullying have in common). Schools and children’s sports clubs, youth groups etc should have anti-bullying policies and be able to mediate between the parties.
If you suspect that your child is or has been the subject of inappropriate sexual contact by another person, report this to Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre at www.ceop.police.uk.
If your child has accessed illegal sexual abuse content report it to the Internet Watch Foundation which will act to have the content removed.
For help on specific problems, see the following advice on online bullying, sexting, pornography, social media, parental controls and online challenges.