Thinking about buying your kids a new Android smartphone?  You are not alone – Android phones and Android device sales are increasing dramatically.

The CEO of Google recently told reporters that:

There are now a million Android devices sold every five days and that number continues to grow.

More than 200,000 Android devices are being activated daily!

Google has doubled the Android run rate in 4 months.

The growth explosion is being attributed to the Motorola Droid X which is being marketed strongly by Verizon.  He also was excited about the Samsung Galaxy line which is being sold on all networks in the US and in over 100 countries, more than doubling Android’s footprint.

At these rates, Google is selling 18 million Android devices a quarter and outselling the iphone…. One of the reasons for this is the incredible rate of innovation in the Android market.

As for Android phones sold in the second quarter of 2010, the top 5 were the Motorola Droid, HTC Droid Incredible, HTC EVO 4G, HTC Hero, and the HTC Droid Eris. With respect to carriers, in the second quarter Verizon had a market share of 33%, AT&T 25%, and T-Mobile 11%.

“It is really incredible how fast the Android platform is growing.  Remember, the first real Android phone to sell in big numbers was the Motorola Droid, which debuted only eight months ago.  Since then, it seems like every month a handset maker ups the ante.

In August alone, Verizon has the Droid 2 and Fascinate.  Sprint has the Epic 4G.  T-Mobile has this Emerald/Glacier thing coming and AT&T  has the the Sony Xperia X10 and Dell Streak.  This month also sees the long awaited adoption of Froyo on major handsets like the EVO and Droid.”

In terms of features, many of the Android based phones are superior to the iPhone, and Android phones are beating out the iphone in comparison reviews. Even cnet.com shows the Evo 4G beating out the iPhone 4 in its comparison “prizefight”:

Android phones like the HTC Evo are becoming very popular. If you are considering buying an Android phone for your children, please consider the application that helps parents keep children safe - Child Protect Online, the parental control filter specifically designed for phones running the Android operating system.

google-site-verification=QZxtbR5Ff_yxn9brB8HN_uUtATVU7RtN9IXOg_oy7iY

Cyber Bullying Meets Mob Mentality

How would it feel to be 15 years old and have the entire world literally turned against you? How would it feel to have large groups of people that you have never met absolutely hate you and inflict a relentless stream of cruelty at you?

You really can not answer the above questions unless you have lived through it. You could ask Phoebe Prince, Ryan Halligan, or Megan Meier (may they RIP), but they are no longer living. They took their own lives after relentless cyber bullying attacks. In the view of many these children are heros and we will not let their passing be in vain….

Anyone who thinks that Cyber Mobbing and Cyber-Bullying is not real, or that those who are victims of it are somehow not tough is unbelievably naive. To those I ask: Do you have the guts to take your own life, to hang yourself? Could you handle having hundrends of people relentlessly torment you with insults you could never dream of? How would you feel if it were a family member that had taken their life because of this? Get your heads out of the sand, children are dying because of this stuff, and it should not be happening.

This is not a bunch of kids at the playground ganging up on someone out in the physical world – that would be far easier to deal with. Cyber-Mobbing is far more damaging. It is constant, it is psychological, and it is far more difficult to stop. Getting in a fight at the playground is relatively minor compared to the damage that can be inflicted in cyberspace, and at least on the playground you can fight back and see your adversary. Bullies thrive in the non-physical confrontation world of cyberspace, and it is very easy for a mob to form as others jump on the bully bandwagon in order to lift their own low self-esteem.

But how can parents raise children that have the judgment and skills that keep them safe and successful as they grow up? How do parents fulfill their responsiblity to keep their kids safe and still provide them with the skills to prosper in the world?

The world is a much different place than it was just 15 years ago. Information technologies have now taken a large portion of a child’s interaction away from the awareness of parents.

Parents must now take an active role in their child’s cyber-space. Be their friend, they must know that it is ok for them to come to you for guidance when it is needed. Until they are old enough to have the skills that keep them out of trouble, parental control software for smartphones can alert you to potential dangers and help you teach them the cyber-skills necessary to avoid becoming victims, or preventing them from becoming aggressors in cyber-bullying, and this is becoming increasingly important as many states and schools have regulations against this, and children can be thrown out of school for cyberbullying offenses.

Children are using smartphones and other technology at increasingly younger ages. Technology is not going away, and children need cyber-skills in order to be safe and successful in the world. We cannot and should not treat children as luddites. Instead, parents should be partners with their children and help them to utilize technology in the right ways, and be there with them if action needs to be taken.

Parental Control Filters For Kids Smartphones

As smartphones such as the HTC EVO, Droid Incredible, Nexus One, and other Android and iphone based phones enter the market, children are using these devices at increasingly younger ages.  A recent Pew study found that 58% of 12 yr olds now own a cell phone, which is up from 18% in 2004.  And, not surprisingly, a Nielson study found that in the 2nd quarter of 2008, in the USA alone, the amount of texting was greater than the amount of voice calls.  In the 14-42 age group, 45% access the internet with their phones, and this number will continue to increase.

Parenting And Mobile Devices

This presents a new challenge for parenting — it takes a large portion of a child’s social interaction out of the awareness of parents.  Although the maturity level of each child varies most have not learned the judgment and skills necessary to keep themselves out of trouble at least until the age of 15 or 16. How can parents adapt and regain control over the potential threats and influences on their kids? Parental monitoring applications such as childprotectonline are an answer.  In fact, many young children feel safer knowing that mom or dad is not far away and is there if they need them.

Parental Monitoring To Level The Playing Field

Sexting, cyberbulling, and other threats from cyber predators have become a major issue and have negatively affected the lives of many teens.  Sadly, in extreme cases some teens have resorted to suicide — there have been several publicized cases of this in the media.  Parental monitoring applications help parents level the playing field against potential threats to their family and help children develop the judgment and skills to protect themselves in the information age so that they can live long, safe, and happy lives.  Many state and local governments have now  enacted laws against cyberbullying and sexting, and schools are now suspending or even kicking out students who engage in these behaviors.  Clearly, parents need to monitor both sides of this to ensure that children do not become victims or aggressors in these types of behaviors and prevent problems before they occur.

ChildProtect Online is the parental control filter developed specifically for Android Phones. Watch the video below as Child Protect Clients And Founder Idriss Bennis Discuss The Benefits of ChildProtectOnline.com cell parental control application

Is monitoring your child’s cyber activities and texting considered spying or just good parenting?

Some teenagers see it as an invasion of their privacy, others feel safer knowing that mom or dad is not far away and many parents actually have better and stronger relationships with their children because they have been able to prevent them from getting into trouble before it happened.

Children today must deal with a vastly different world than what existed just 15 years years ago.

Ask yourself these questions and answer honestly. Does your 11 yr old have the skill and judgment to protect themselves from a cyber predator who texts them? Does a 10 year old know if they are sending a text that could get them suspended from school because the receiver interprets it as cyber bullying or textual harassment? Do teens understand the reality that anything they do may now end up in cyberspace for all the world to see?

”Almost half the boys in coed high schools have seen a picture depicting a female classmate nude.” – The New York Times, March 21, 2010.

The reality of the current environment that children grow up in presents a strong argument for parental monitoring of the cyber activities of children. Mobile devices and ‘superphones’ have taken a large portion of social interaction away from the physical world and out of the awareness of parents and guardians.

You would not want a child interacting with a predator or negative influence in the physical world, so why would you want it to happen in cyberspace? In fact, if the vast majority of parents physically saw some creep approach their child, bully them or attempt anything that was inappropriate for their age they would quickly intervene, or at a minimum discuss any kind of occurrence with their child to ensure that there is no potential threat, and that they learn something from it.

Remember, one of the many responsibilities that comes with parenting is to teach your children the social skills, tools, and judgment that keeps them out of trouble, helps them to be successful and allows them to live long happy lives. In order to do this, parents have to adapt to the realities of the information age and cyberspace.

Be there for your child and be their friend, they need to trust your judgment until they have developed their own. Once they learn the judgment and skills to keep themselves safe then you can turn them loose on the world, but until that point is reached there is a compelling argument to be made for a degree of parental monitoring to keep kids out of trouble, and keep them from unintentionally running afoul of the many cyberbullying and sexting laws that are now being passed in many areas. For these reasons, many parents consider some degree of parental monitoring of texting and other cyber activities to be good parenting.

It’s not about privacy, it’s about protection and good parenting. There are many advantages to children having cell phones and other mobile devices. Families should certainly take advantage of these benefits and use simple common sense parenting, education, and, until children have the judgment and skills to protect themselves, parental monitoring software.

Sexting and cyber bullying  can cause a lot of problems for teens and their parents — such as getting them suspended from school (for starters).  It can also be a crime.  The reality of the world for teenagers and parents is that whether or not they think it is harmless others may not, and cyber bullying and sexting is becoming an increasing problem.  The best thing parents can do is to prevent problems like this before they occur.

Students could face suspensions for ‘sexting’

“”NEW YORK (WABC) — As far as some teenagers are concerned, what’s called “sexting” is only flirting.

But decision makers for the Department of Education in New York City will soon consider a proposal that would ban students from sending explicit or suggestive text messages, both inside and outside of school.

Students would face suspensions of up to 90 days. They could also be booted from class for cyber-bullying.

A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that 4 percent of cell phone owners between the ages of 12 and 17 say they have sent suggestive nude or semi-nude images of themselves via text message.

Another 15 percent say they have received such images of someone they know. Twenty-three percent of boys and 24 percent of girls say they sent the images due to peer pressure.

If education officials pass the texting ban, they will hear from the New York Civil Liberties Union, which argues activities outside schools should not be regulated and the offense is too narrowly defined.

A hearing is set for Wednesday.”

and recently in Pennsylvania:

Pennsylvania House approves plan to make ‘sexting’ a crime

“Sexting, sending nude or inappropriate pictures via cell phone or e-mail, would be a misdemeanor for teenagers under a plan approved by the state House today. The House voted to sign off on  the plan by state Rep. Seth Grove, R-York, 163-36.  The bill now heads to the state Senate.

Grove said his proposal allows district attorneys to charge teens ages 13 to 17 who “sext” with a summary offense or second-degree misdemeanor rather than charge the teen with a felony under child pornography laws.  He also said the bill aims to keep inappropriate images out of the hands of child predators. “We cannot assume that sexting is normal expression of adolescent sexuality,” Grove said.

Opponents of the measure said even a misdemeanor was too serious an offense for a teen who uses poor judgment or sends an image to a boyfriend or girlfriend in confidence. “This is a parental problem … This is a family problem. This is a moral problem,” said state Rep. Kathy Manderino, D-Philadelphia.  “This should not be made a criminal problem.

“This all starts with a consensual activity that gets out of control.  I’m sorry if it gets out of control, but there are other sexual acts that children get involved with that get out of control that are not a crime,” Manderino said.”"

Using parental control tools on a mobile phone helps parents not just prevent their children from becoming victims, but also helps prevent the kind of behavior that can get teens into legal trouble.

“I was afraid of what is out in the world and knowing what they can do with the cell phone and who can get to them with the cell phone,” said Idriss Bennis, creator of ChildProtect Online.

Bennis hopes his creation will help parents all over the world keep their children safe when they are left unattended with their cell phones.

For less than ten dollars a month, Bennis’ software allows parents to track their children’s emails, texts and movements using their child’s cell phone.

“In my mind it puts you closer to your kids because you are more involved, they know you are paying attention to them,” said Bennis.

When children know they are being monitored, they feel safer, and are less likely to engage in cyber bullying….

Parents have had to adapt to the new offline cyber environment and keep their kids safe, and parental monitoring applications are an efficient way to be there for them in cyberspace and help protect them from cyber bullying, text harassment, and sexting.  Cyber predators often use texting as a way to lure young teens.

And many parents like the GPS locator function as well… “I want to make sure they are where I said they were going to be,” said Tadji Rodriguez.  With two children, Rodriguez is one of dozens of parents who have already signed up for the plan. With ChildProtectOnline not only can she see the numbers calling her children and approve them, but she can see through all text messages and see a history of where her child was throughout the day.

“It gives me that sense of security, relief, I know where my kids are, I know what they are doing,” said Rodriguez.

Some critics say it is like spying on your kids but in the modern day it is the evolution of good parenting.  “It’s not about privacy, it’s protection and good parenting.”  You would not want your child interacting in the offline world with a negative influence, and until they learn the judgment and have the maturity and social skills to keep themselves out of trouble parents are using parental control services like childprotectonline to level the playing field.  There are many horror stories out there about child predators and cyber bullying.  It has gotten to the point where many states have now passed laws against cyberbullying and other threatening online activities….

ChildProtect Online is compatible with many smart phones running the Google Android operating system and this fall Bennis will make it available for the iphone as well. He’s also working on a way to offer parental limits on the kinds of applications children will be able to download to their phone.

Why should parents monitor texting and cell phone use?

“Cell phones have taken much of a child’s social interactions out of the reach and awareness of parents; parental controls and monitoring applications bring it back.”

It’s not about privacy, its about protection…. And parents have a responsibility to protect their children from predators and teach them the skills that will keep them out of trouble.  Until the time that children are mature enough to protect themselves good parenting calls for being aware of who your children are interacting with. You would not want your child physically interacting with a bad influence in the offline world, so why would you allow it in cyberspace?

“The argument for at least some degree of control is fairly compelling for most parents, at least until a certain level of responsibility and maturity has been demonstrated.”

Important tips for keeping children safe in the mobile cyberspace:

Awareness—On the internet, often the bully and bullied don’t realize that it is happening. Children and parents both need to understand what cyber bullying, sexting, and textual harassment is and that it is unacceptable behavior.

Monitoring— When students know they are being monitored, they feel safer, and are less likely to engage in bullying. Parental control filters are very effective and help keep children out of trouble.

Communication—Just like “traditional” bullying, cyber bullies don’t hang up their mouse at the school gate. Parents need to understand problems which largely weren’t even conceived when they were that age and be aware of their children’s online activity. Take an interest in your child’s cyberspace and learn weblish.

Start young — Students must learn how to protect their identities and accounts on-line and offline. Impersonation is a common form of cyber bullying. Strong passwords, privacy control, and understanding sensitive data are topics which should be covered.  Those unfortunate enough to be victims of identity know that it can literally destroy your life, take precautions and protect your personal information.

Response—If cyber bullying gets out of control, who do you go to for help? Cyber bullying offenders and victims fit subtly different profiles to “traditional” bullying.

Share—Exchange knowledge and information with other parents, schools, and other organizations.  Cyber bullying often happens between schools, so it’s important to develop relationships with IT staff in nearby schools to alert them to cross-school cyber bullying problems. Worldwide you can always find someone with the same troubles and helpful advice on the web.

Cell phones such as the motorola droid, google nexus one, iphone, and HTC are now as just as powerful as many laptop computers. This puts all the dangers of cyberspace and the internet into the hands of your child whenever they use a mobile device – things like sexting, textual harassment, and cyber bullying.  Despite these dangers, the tremendous benefits of these mobile devices can still be enjoyed with the proper education and use of parental monitor software.

Share these examples with your children so you’re sure they know that bullying isn’t just something that happens in person and can actually encompass a wide range of actions:

Types of cyber bullying:

Flaming - Online “fights” using electronic messages with angry and vulgar language.

Textual Harassment – Repeatedly sending offensive and insulting messages via text messaging–the online equivalent of direct bullying, this is also known as textual harassment.

Cyber stalking – Engaging in online activities that make a person afraid for his or her safety.

Defaming - Sending or posting cruel gossip or rumors about a person to damage his or her reputation or friendships.

Impersonating - Impersonating someone to make the person look bad, get into trouble or danger, or damage that person’s reputation or friendships. This can go as far as Identity theft (which is a serious crime and extremely disruptive to the victims life).

Outing - Sharing someone’s secrets or embarrassing information or images online. Thus destroying an individuals privacy.

Trickery - Tricking someone into revealing secrets or embarrassing information, which is then shared in cyberspace. Deceiving someone online to humiliate or cause harm.

Protecting oneself against these activities is important but its also important that children (and adults) be aware so that they do not inadvertently find themselves acting in a way that could potentially get them into trouble. Many states have passed laws against cyber bullying after extreme cases led to the deaths of those who were victims of extreme cases of cyber bullying. Whether or not you agree with these laws they may apply to you and your family.

Of course, the most important factor in keeping kids out of trouble or becoming victims is for parents to communicate and take an interest in their child’s cyberspace. If you find that your child is harassing others online or is the target of cyberbullying, do not let it get out of control, it is now considered a crime in many states.

Many parents feel an increasing loss of control when it comes to protecting their children.  Technology often progresses faster than we can adapt to it and children are still in the learning stage in developing the judgment that will keep them out of trouble. After all, it is one of the responsibilities (and satisfactions) of a parent to teach children the tools & skills that they need to live safe, happy, and successful lives.

Oftentimes, with technology changing so rapidly, traditional common sense gets forgotten.  Sometimes all we have to do is apply old ideas from the offline world to a new context – the information age.

Motorola Droid Parental Controls

“Don’t talk to strangers”  Of course you remember your parents telling you not to talk to strangers.   This is even more important in the online non-physical world of cyberspace.  In cyberspace it is very easy to contact anyone and you can not physically see who is interacting with your kids.

What to do? monitor texting and other activity, and take an interest in your child’s cyber world.  Surf the web together, text each other, be their friend, learn to speak weblish, let them know you are there to help them learn the skills and judgment that keep them safe.  You would not want someone you did not trust to communicate with your child in the physical world, so why would you want them to do it in cyberspace?

Just as technology has evolved to make our lives better, so have the threats – and they have new names: textual harassment, cyberbullying, sexting…. Despite this, no one can deny the convenience and utility of cell phones and mobile technologies.  And it is great to be able to receive and send text messages from your children when they are out of the house, or to have them simply send you their location via GPS locator in an instant.

Cell phones and other mobile devices offer tremendous benefits, and your family can safely enjoy the benefits.  You can become an empowered parent and have peace of mind.  Take an interest in your child’s cyberspace and install the tool that helps you protects them until they are able to protect themselves on their own.

UrbanDictionary defines textual harassment as “the act of texting a person repeatedly with harmful and/or sexual intentions that are neither relevant or desired.”

Textual harassment continues to increase as texting with mobile devices becomes the preferred method of communication.  The youth of the world even prefer texting over email, and studies have shown that 88% of teens with phones text an average of 100 text messages a day.

It’s not just young children and teenagers who are at risk — anyone can be a victim of cyber harassment and stalking, even if you are careful who you associate with, how you interact with others and who you give your personal information to.  It can get so bad, and disruptive to ones life (and potentially physically dangerous) in fact, that sometimes legal action is necessary.  That has been the case for many, such as the 37 year old man who received more than 10,000 texts over the course of 65 days (the equivalent of once every eight minutes) from a former girlfriend that was stalking him.

To protect younger children from these threats, parental controls are an option.  Teens and younger children are at risk because they do not yet have the judgment to know when they may be at risk from someone else, or are putting themselves at risk through their own behavior.

As parents you can teach your children the tools, skills, and judgment they need to stay safe so that they live long, happy lives. But until they are able to protect themselves on their own they are at risk from cyber dangers. If your child owns or wants to own a cell phone, mobile device, or “superphone” you can still reap the benefits of these wonderful cyber devices by installing the tool that empowers you to protect them from cyberbullying, sexting, mobile phone predators, text rage and other inappropriate cyber activity.

The communications medium of choice for minors is not e-mail, it is texting…and it has a language all its own.

English evolved into weblish for obvious reasons — just like mobile phones, weblish is convenient and efficient, and because of that its use is flourishing.  Although it may seem awkward for some of us over 40 to understand it, it becomes intuitive once you spend some time around it….

Hi Mom, B4 tht I rly wnt 2 tlk 2U abt txtng. K? =)

If you are concerned about your children, it is critical that you learn to understand their language (weblish).  It is expected that in the year 2010 1.8 trillion text messages will be sent worldwide and a recent survey revealed that 88% of teens with mobile phones text an average of 100 messages a day!

As Patrick Cox recently wrote in the July issue of the Breakthrough Technology Alert:
“My kids and their friends are so skilled that they can text to one another without even looking at their phones. At times, they use text to communicate privately even when they’re in the same room. If you weren’t looking for it, you probably wouldn’t notice it was happening. A recent survey reveals that 88% of teens with mobile phones text, averaging about 100 messages a day.”

They are more in touch with their friends and family than my generation ever was. Moreover, studies show that they are the most “literate” generation in history, using the written word for communication far more than any before them. Despite criticisms of text abbreviations and such, the evidence is that constant use of text does, in fact, increase writing skills. New problems, however, accompany these new benefits.”

Many parents find it very valuable to send & receive messages from their children when they are out of the house, so they have embraced using cell phones, superphones, and other mobile devices.  But its not just parents that can send their children a text, pictures, or other data – so can everyone else.  The increasing use of weblish and mobile devices (that are now just as powerful as laptop computers) presents risks for teens and children….

““Sexting” presents serious problems. Predators have used text messaging to lure unsuspecting minors. Also, courts are increasingly treating minors who send inappropriate materials, even to willing recipients, as child pornographers. Text bullying is also a problem that has produced felony charges. Parents are also concerned that their children are being targeted with information about access to alcohol or drugs. Overuse during school hours or at night can also present problems. According to Symantec research, 90% of parents are more concerned about the dangers of the digital world than they are about drugs and alcohol.”

There is, therefore, a real need for a means of overseeing text messaging, and many parents feel powerless when it comes to protecting their children in cyberspace.  This is why we created and brought to market the ChildProtectOnline Mobile Phone Software. If your child owns or wants to own a cell phone, mobile device, or “superphone” you can still reap the benefits of these wonderful cyber devices by installing the tool that empowers you to protect them from cyberbullying, sexting, mobile phone predators, text rage and other inappropriate cyber activity.

To learn more about weblish and translate weblish into english visit some of these links:

Weblish Interpretation Resources:

http://www.noslang.com/ translates weblish slang into normal english

http://www.noslang.com/articles.php

http://www.acronymfinder.com/

http://www.netlingo.com/

http://www.all-acronyms.com/tag/internet_slang

F3XSNDS222WZ