Do you know what web sites your teen is visiting on his or her mobile phone? It's a timely question, as teens (13 - 17) are visiting the web via their cell phones in increasing numbers (up 45% in the past year,) only being outpaced by senior adults (65+). As difficult as it has been for parents to monitor their kids' Internet usage, web access on mobile phones has made the task even harder.
Given that by 2011, cell phones will be the greatest provider of Internet pornography and that the greatest number of new users of Internet pornography are guys, ages 11 - 17, Internet access via cell phones might just be the perfect storm, setting up lots of teenagers for the potential of becoming addicted to porn.
Looking to the future, I can envision a time when all mobile phones have Internet access. We'll have to cross that bridge when we get there. But for now, parents should consider whether or not their teens really need a new phone that has Internet access. Think through the pros and cons. Then, make the best decision you can.
For more information, see Jim Burns share some tips on guiding your teens online in a brief video, here.
According to a recent release from The Nielsen Company, web visitors using a mobile device increased 34% year-over-year, from 42.5 million mobile Web visitors in July 2008 to 56.9 million in July 2009. Overall, year-over-year growth among the 13-17 and 65+ age groups outpaced the growth of the total mobile Web audience, with a youth increase of 45% and seniors surging upwards 67% in July.
Source: Center for Media Research
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