Japan Warns Parents about Kids and Cell Phones

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

27 May 2008 11:59 AM

In Japan, concern about cell phones has nothing to do with cancer. Instead, the focus is on the dangers that cell phones pose to children. In fact, the Japanese government feels that the threat is so real, that it is starting a program to warn parents and schools that they must restrict cell phone use among children.

In Japan, cell phones are packed with features, such as high speed Internet access, although Masaharu Kuba, a government official overseeing the new program told the Associate Press (AP) that �Japanese parents are giving cell phones to their children without giving it enough thought,� and "In Japan, cell phones have become an expensive toy."

According to AP, among the cell phone practices that are being scrutinized by the Japanese government are the following:

Elementary and junior high school students who are becoming part of cyberspace crimes.

Kids who are overusing cell phones to their detriment, such as spending many hours a night using e-mail.

The 30-minute rule in which children who don�t respond to e-mail messages within 30 minutes then become victims of abuse by other students.

Children being threatened for money after posting their photos on the web through their cell phones.

What do you think of these concerns? One of the problems with cell phone use, especially cell phones that offer Internet access, is the fact that parents may not be completely aware of what their kids are doing with the cell phones. Cell phones can be much more personal and secretive than a family computer that is set out in the open in the home.

There are a couple of guidelines that parents in other countries can take from the initiative in Japan:

Consider whether or not your child really needs a cell phone.

Purchase a cell phone that can take advantage of parental controls, such as only allowing incoming or outgoing calls to numbers that you have preprogrammed into the phone.

Disable extra features, such as Internet access, online games, etc. Or, don�t purchase a phone with these extra features.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, technology in the Computing Blog, and creating a home in the Home Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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