Every parent these days want safer their kids and teens online and as well as in real –life. In the current year of 2019, parents are still struggling for setting parental control on children in order to protect them from cyber life harmful activities. However, technology has developed plenty of apps to receive alerts of text messages, emails and cell phone calls and social media activities on the mobile phone. But still, there is huge discomfort and concerns of parents when it comes to the cyber activities of youth on the digital devices connected to the internet.
But parents always lurk towards the free monitoring services in order to protect their children and teens from all the online dangers. But they don’t realize all the free cell phone monitoring apps are not effective enough to deal with the contemporary cyber dangers that youngsters are facing these days. Therefore, parents need to protect kid and teens from all online nightmares that are prevailing in youth no time ever before with the use of the internet on their smartphones. Parents have to have such monitoring software for the cell phone that provides tangible benefits to the fullest. However, before you scramble towards the best parental control you need to pay attention to the online threats teens and children are facing in 2019.
Cyber Bullying and Bullying Beyond the School Gates
Cyber harassment is undoubtedly a reality for the teens and children who used constantly remain online on their cell phones and other digital devices connected to the cyberspace. On the other hand, apart from the bullying online, bullying has reached beyond the school gates. It means online harassment is chasing children and teens online and as well as in real –life especially wherever they bring devices.
One in three online teens & kids have experienced bullying online and female teens are more likely to be a victim: PEW research Center
Facts:
- 32% of the teens used internet and social media on cell phones have experienced potentially menacing online activities
- 15% of teens say they bullied online via Emails, text messages, IM’s social media and multimedia
- 13% of the teens say someone has shared a rumor online that was quite embarrassing for them online and as well as in real –life such as at school
- 6% of teens say someone has shared embarrassing photos and videos without their permission
- 67% says bullying usually happen in real –life especially at school rather than online
Intense Internet Users Got Mental Health Issues
The excessive use of digital devices connected to the cyberspace can cause depression, anxiety, and mental disorders. The online harassment that crossed the line can cause serious issues for teens and tweens. The access of technological devices connected to internet are the major cause of mental issues such as digital dementia in teens, (FOMO) Fear of missing out, young kids and teens communicate about the mental health issues in record number over the years and same is the case in 2019 till date.
28% of teens and children uses internet at regular basis look for information regarding depression, anxiety and dementia online and stats are significantly increasing: PEW Research Center
Facts:
- 35% of female teens and 22% of male boys go online to find information about mental issues due to the use of digital devices
- 32% of students are facing mental health issues that spend significant amount of time online
- Digital dementia is increasing among young teens and tweens due to excessive use of digital devices
Sexual Content & Sexting
Gone are the days when young teens used writing handwritten love letters to the boyfriend. Today young tweens and teens are harboring sexual fantasies on their smartphones. Today, contemporary mobile phones connected to the internet, social media apps and other things empower them to send direct messages, cell phone calls, and Facebook and WhatsApp voice calls. However, teems are used to sending sneaky texting codes to their boyfriends. Therefore, sexting is leading teens to sextortion/ exploitation and revenge porn.
4% of teens say they have sent sexually suggestive nude photos & 15% says they have received in appropriate content via text message on cell phone: PEW Research Center
Facts:
- 8% of teens between the age of 17 -18 send and receive sexting & nude photos and videos using their mobile phones
- 17% of teens that can pay their own cell phone bills are more likely to involve in sexting and they usually trapped online with cyber predators
- Three types of sext sharing: 1) sharing of images between romantic partners. 2) between partners that share with others outside the relationship. 3) who are not in relationship, but out of one think about to be in relationship shares nudes
Self –Harm /Suicide in Teens
Teens these days are getting involved in self –harming social media trends online such as burn as scar challenge. Youth that is obsessed with technological devices and connects their digital devices with the internet and social media are more likely to adopt the dangerous social media trends. On the other hand, social media and online games like Blue whale engulfing teen’s lives. Teen’s that are bullied online also have attempted suicide due to severe depression and anxiety. Continuous embarrassment and humiliation make teens to adopt self –harming activities and as well as at the end of the day to commit suicide.
Teens within the age of 13 -18 years old committed suicide, numbers are jumped to 31% due to teen’s access to the smartphones: Excessive use of cellphones causes depression & anxiety, The Washington Post stated that.
Facts:
- 73% of teens these days have access to the smartphones connected to the internet
- Teens feel socially isolated is one of the major reason teens committed suicide
- Lack of sleep due to use of cell phone & internet cause depression, anxiety & suicidal thoughts in teens
Drug Abuse & Teens
Today youth is experimenting on technology and they have changed the course of getting access to consume drugs and alcohol. Young tweens and teens these days are discussing and planning to consume drugs online with their peers and successfully and silently doing that secretly without giving clues to their parents. They plan party nights and the use of drugs like alcohol, marijuana and also getting involved in uncommitted sexual activities. Social media apps on cell phones connected to the cyberspace are one of the best tools to make plans with peers online. Therefore, parents remain unaware of the fact that kids and teens are drug abused secretly and the contemporary cellphones and social media playing the major role.
44% 0f high school students in U.S know a classmate who used to sell drugs such as marijuana, cocaine ecstasy & cell phone and social media playing a major role in kids drug abuse
Facts:
- Teens & tweens between the age of 12 -20 drink 11% of all alcohol consumed in U.S
- 68% of 12th graders have tried alcohol
- 10% of teens used of driving after drinking alcohol
- E–cigarette is the latest illusion on the name of rehabilitation among teens
- 11% of 12th graders in U.S have smoked pot in last year
What Should Parents Do?
Parents just need to have a hidden eye on their teens and tweens cell phone activities. They have to set cell phone parental control on teen’s digital devices. Then they will be able to record and listen to the live incoming outgoing calls using a secret call recorder. They can get social media logs in terms of text messages, text conversations, and shared media files and audio video conversations logs in order to prevent cyberbullying, sexting and to prevent mental health issues by setting android parental control app.
Parents can perform live screen recording on the teens’ cell phone in order to monitor each and every single activity happens on the target device screen. However, parents can even track the GPS location of the teens if they are up to something dangerous by tracking their whereabouts. In a nutshell cell phone monitoring app empowers parents to dig out all the rabbit wholes of teens to protect teens against, bullying online, mental health issues, sexting, drug abuse, self –harm and from suicide attempts.
