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  • Parental Toolkit

Parents/Legal Guardians

Today’s children are a technology savvy generation who are adopting digital and mobile technologies at a spectacularly fast rate. For parents, keeping pace with the rapid changes in the wireless industry can seem overwhelming and challenging. However, you should know that you are not alone.  In fact, you are integral to ensuring your child is a responsible wireless user. 

Around the world, parents are trying to figure how to encourage the infinite benefits of mobile (such as mLearning, mHealth, civic engagement, etc.) while preventing their children from using the technology in an irresponsible or inappropriate manner. 

Together with expert educators, The Wireless Foundation and our members, CTIA has developed this website to help you locate and utilize the tools and information necessary to ensure your children are responsible wireless users.  For example, clear and understandable family rules will help children understand the consequences of their actions when they misuse wireless technology and products.  But just like any other set of rules, families must keep them updated because what makes sense for a child at age eight may not make sense when s/he is 12.

With an increasing number of kids who are fluent and extremely comfortable using technology, we understand that this could be an uncomfortable conversation.  At the same time, it is very important that kids know how you expect them to behave and utilize wireless products and services. We also believe children must feel comfortable talking to you about all of their wireless use – including when they receive questionable content or contact on their devices.

It is our hope that this website will help you and your kids work together so that they behave in a smart, safe, fair and responsible manner. CTIA believes parents are the key to their kids’ responsible wireless use. 

Today, parents should watch out for three categories of irresponsible or inappropriate wireless behaviors. 

Objectionable Content
Unwanted Contact
Inappropriate Conduct
Parental Checklist
Family Rules Template

Objectionable Content

Objectionable content may appear in a variety of formats such as written, spoken or recorded. The definition of “objectionable” may differ for each family. While today’s children can’t be shielded from “objectionable” content 100 percent of the time, wireless carriers offer a number of tools to help parents control what their children can see, hear and create on a wireless device. This includes restrictions on who children can call or text and turning off or filtering access to the Internet or other data services.

Call your provider to ask them what kinds of services they have available to help. 

Unwanted Contact

In today’s digital information world, it’s nearly impossible to have an e-mail address and not receive an unwanted message.  With nearly 280 million American wireless subscribers today and with more than 20 percent of Americans “cutting the cord” and going wireless-only, cell phone numbers are becoming targets that are more popular for such an activity.

We strongly encourage you to talk to your children and tell them what to do if they receive an unwanted or unknown e-mail or phone call.  This may mean ignoring those messages or calls and showing them to you.  In some cases, unwanted contact may include cyberbulling, which occurs when children receive harassing messages from their peers.

Inappropriate Conduct

As with any new technology, some individuals make poor decisions.  It is important you talk to your kids about what is appropriate and inappropriate in your family.

With the rise in social networking and people of all ages increasingly “living” on the Internet, a private message (i.e. sexting), photo, or video that is sent to someone may end up being seen by others.

Children need to understand that their actions today may have consequences tomorrow.  For example, there are numerous media stories with college admission officers and HR executives who acknowledge they conduct Internet searches on prospective applicants.

Here are three simple rules to use when talking to kids about inappropriate conduct:

1. If you wouldn’t say it in person, don’t say it online!  This includes aggressive or threatening text messages.
2. Don’t send or take inappropriate text messages, photos or videos.  It is impossible to control who sees a picture or message once you transmit it, and it could be forwarded to anyone, even months or years in the future.  In extreme cases, some teens have faced criminal charges for this type of behavior.
3. Never give your personal information (including phone number, home address, e-mail address or credit card number).  According to Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), parents have control over the personal information websites collect about their children.  COPPA requires compliance by any website for kids under 13 or that collects information from kids it knows are under 13.

Parental Checklist

Here are a few tips to help talk to your kids about cell phone usage:

• When you sign up for wireless service, know what’s in the service plan such as voice, text messaging, e-mail and Internet access.
• When you give your child a mobile device, know its features, such as the ability to take and send pictures or videos or download music or apps.
• Ask your wireless providers about their parental control tools including filters, usage limits and other restrictions.
• Know the rules and rights your children have online such as COPPA and how to report websites that you suspect violate this law. 
• Talk with your children and discuss your family’s rules on using mobile devices.  This may include certain times and ways of use and consequences if these rules are broken.
• Write down these rules and penalties and post them in a central location in your home.
• Periodically, revisit these rules as your children grow older and wireless technology evolves. 

Example of Family Rules 

Download Family Rules Template

While families may differ on what is acceptable or unacceptable wireless behavior, we’ve developed an example of a pledge you might consider making with your family.  We encourage parents and kids to modify it according to their family’s needs. 

 

I, _________________________________________, promise I will:

            (First and Last Name)

• NEVER take or send inappropriate, aggressive or threatening text messages, photos or videos.
• NEVER give out personal information (including phone number, home address, e-mail address or credit card number) to strangers.
• NEVER download, subscribe or add anything to my device without a parent’s consent.
• NEVER disable the parental control features on my device.
• ALWAYS follow my school’s rules on wireless use.
• ALWAYS answer my phone if my parent(s)/legal guardian call me or return the call as soon as possible if I am in a restricted use area.
• ALWAYS stay within my device’s usage plan and if I think I may go over the limits, talk with my parent(s).
• ALWAYS behave in a smart, safe, fair and responsible manner.

 

If I ever receive a questionable content or contact on my device, I will alert my parent(s) immediately.  In exchange, my parent(s)/legal guardian will not take away my device; instead, we will work together to determine reasonable consequences if rules are broken.    

 

On ______________________________, _______________________________ and

                        (Date)                                                            (Child’s Name)

 

_____________________________________ and _______________________________ have

            (Parent/Legal Guardian Name)                                    (Parent/Legal Guardian Name)

 

discussed and understand these rules and agree to follow them.