1. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Cell Phone Safety: Digitally Tethered Teens and Other Modern Dilemmas Dr. Charles D. Knutson Brigham Young University www.charlesknutson.net

2. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 ;) 2

3. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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" 3

4. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Some statistics  Telephia survey:  Americans average 13 talking hours a month  26 mins/day  18-24 age group averages 22 hours  44 mins/day 4

5. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Some statistics  Let's Talk Survey:  OK to use cell phone in the bathroom  2000 – 39%  2002 – 47%  2003 – 62%  2006 – 38% 5

6. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Some statistics  Let's Talk Survey:  OK to use cell phone in a movie theater  2000 – 11%  2002 – 6%  2003 – 3%  2006 – 2% 6

7. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Some statistics  Let's Talk Survey:  OK to use cell phone in the car  2000 – 76%  2002 – 46%  2003 – 48%  2006 – 63% 7

8. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Some statistics  Let's Talk Survey:  OK to use cell phone in the supermarket  2000 – 60%  2002 – 53%  2003 – 61%  2006 – 66% 8

9. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Some statistics  Let's Talk Survey:  OK to use cell phone on public transportation  2000 – 52%  2002 – 45%  2003 – 53%  2006 – 45% 9

10. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Some statistics  Let's Talk Survey:  OK to use cell phone in a restaurant  2000 – 31%  2002 – 28%  2003 – 29%  2006 – 21% 10

11. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 11

12. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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! 12

13. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Dr. K's blog 13

14. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 14

15. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 15

16. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 16

17. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Cell phone etiquette  Wearing the earpiece when not on the phone…  This is not generally a flattering image  Think... The Borg 17

18. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 18

19. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 19

20. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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! 20

21. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 21

22. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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! 22

23. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Driving safety  Japan study of cell phone accidents  32% dialing  42% responding to a call  16% talking  5% hanging up 23

24. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Driving safety  Each year in the U.S., cell phone distraction causes  2,600 deaths  330,000 injuries 24

25. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 25

26. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 26

27. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 27

28. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 28

29. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Sexting 29

30. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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) 30

31. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 31

32. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 32

33. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 33

34. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 34

35. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Some statistics  40% of teens have received sexually suggesting text messages or emails that were passed around  Not originally intended for them 35

36. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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%) 36

37. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 37

38. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 38

39. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 39

40. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 40

41. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 41

42. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 42

43. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson 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 43

44. © 2009 Charles D. Knutson Questions?  Internet Safety Podcast  www.internetsafetypodcast.com  Internet Safety Wiki  wiki.internetsafetypodcast.com Dr. Charles Knutson knutson@cs.byu.edu 44