Parents and adults should be aware these days that kids often have codes and slang they use to communicate with their peers. Parents are likely aware of LOL: laugh out loud. OMG: oh my gosh/god. However, there are some others that aren’t so common that parents should keep an eye out for, because it could mean their kids are chatting about something they don’t want Mom and Dad to learn about. For instance, PAW means, “parents are watching”; MOS is “mom over shoulder”; CD9 is “code 9” which means parents are around and 182 is “I hate you.”

Another issue facing our kids and teens these days that parents need to watch for is sexting. A 2009 poll found that one in five teens sent sexually suggestive pictures via text and may have received such images. Another poll found that 44% of high school boys had seen at least one naked picture of a female classmate. Signs to look for your child is sexting? Is your child extremely protective of their cell phone? Do they send messages in private, not texting a lot while you are around but behind closed doors?

Experts say it is important for parents to understand what their kids are doing online, and although trusting them is important, their safety is equally, if not more important. Most importantly, talk to your kids about what they are doing, open lines of communication are key. Monitor what they are doing online and with their cell phone and keep track of their messages, who they are talking to and when they are doing it. While it may seem like “big brother” is watching, it’s okay. You ARE the parent and no one ever said being the parent would be easy. It’s your job to keep your kids and teens safe and secure.

As this 'Mobile Year in Review' video from Mobile Future explains, mobile use is growing and is becoming the device of choice for youth to connect to the Web and to each other.

What's a Smartphone? What Parents Need to Know
Parents - if you've been thinking about getting your teen a smartphone this holiday season, make sure you're ready to take on the challenge of monitoring your child's smartphone usage to make sure they are using it wisely. One thing parents need to know about smartphones is that they are one part 'phone' plus another part 'mobile computer'. A smartphone is a mobile phone with advanced capabilities, and functions like the combination of a personal computer and a mobile phone, including voice calls, e-mails, text messaging, Internet access and mobile applications or 'apps'.

Untethered Access for Teens Requires Smart Parenting
Giving your child a smartphone is like giving them unrestricted access to the Web, social networks, instant messaging, a host of powerful applications plus voice and text message capabilities in the palm of their young hands. Anything your child can do on a home PC or laptop, they can likely also do with their smartphone -- but away from the watchful eyes of parents, and without any parental control software installed. While your child may have the digital smarts to navigate their smartphone to surf the Internet, check their Facebook wall, download the latest apps and text their friends all at once, they may lack the emotional maturity to understand the consequences of having such a powerful device.

Mobile Tips for Parent and Child
Make sure that you and your child have an explicit and, if necessary, written agreement for appropriate vs. restricted mobile usage. This includes any texting limits or calling restrictions you wish to impose, including rules about long-distance calls or text messages sent after hours or during class. If your child's school has a no texting policy, be sure your child is aware of it and adheres to it, as some schools will confiscate cellphones used against school policy. If you don't want your child to text in the middle of the night, have them 'check in' their cellphone to you before bedtime. Take advantage of cellphone usage controls from your mobile carrier or use the cell phone monitoring feature in SafetyWeb to enforce restricted hours. Talk about whether you'll allow texting or cellphone use during family time, at the dinner table, or while hosting family guests. One of the surest ways your child will learn proper cellphone etiquette is by your example and guidance.

Keeping It Safe with Open Communication
Make sure your child knows s/he can talk to you if anything uncomfortable arises as a result of using a smartphone, including if someone contacts them inappropriately online, sends them a 'sext message' or explicitly suggestive text message, or if they start to feel harassed through their cellphone in any way, even from a friend or boyfriend/girlfriend.

Set Usage Limits or Pay the Price
If your child is anything like the average teen, she's probably sending and receiving about 50 texts a day, or 1500 text messages a month -- with some teenage girls texting as much as 3,000 text messages each month. Unless you want to pay exorbitant texting fees, make sure your family plan has unlimited texting or set a maximum limit on monthly texts with your child so she can meter her usage accordingly.

How U.S. Teens Use Mobile Phones
Here are some interesting highlights from a recent Pew Internet study on Teens and Mobile Phones conducted by Amanda Lenhart:

- Text messaging or texting is on the rise and here to stay. Some 72% of US teens send and receive text messages.

- Parents text, too. Half of texting teens send messages to parents every day.

- Cell phones help bridge the digital divide: Teens from low-income households are much more likely than other teens to go online using a cell phone.

- Most schools treat the phone as a disruptive force that must be managed and often excluded from the school and the classroom.

- One in three (34%) texting teens ages 16-17 say they have texted while driving. That translates into 26% of all American teens ages 16-17.

- Sexting happens, but in a minority of cases: 4% of teens say they have sent a sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude image of themselves to someone via text message. 15% of teens say they have received a sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude image of someone they know by text.

- Texting is not just social - texting is used by teens for managing school-related purposes as well, with 70% of teens using text messaging to do things related to school work, and 23% of teens texting for school at least once a day.

For more statistics on teens and mobile usage, read Pew Internet's full report available from their site for download.

Mobile Parenting Is Simple with SafetyWeb
SafetyWeb makes mobile safety very simple for parents, with all-in-one activity reports for your child's social networking usage as well as mobile activity reports of your child's texting and cell phone call patterns. SafetyWeb's mobile monitoring feature works with all major wireless providers, and is included in every subscription (only $10 per month, or $100 for an annual plan).

If your child's mobile activity triggers an alert for unusual texting or calling activity, you'll be notified immediately via email or text message so you can further investigate online. Dramatic increases or decreases in texting or calling activity may warrant a conversation with your child as to why activity has changed suddenly over time. Changes could signal potential cyberbullying (as many incidents of online harassment are perpetrated over text messaging or cellphone calls by the bully), as well as new friendships or relationships (not all changes in activity are worrisome - but worth noticing, nontheless).

If your child is using their cellphone during agreed-upon hours of use, then there's probably no cause for concern. However, SafetyWeb will keep you informed if any social networking activity is worth looking into, with bully alerts, profanity alerts, depression alerts, adult friend alerts, and custom alerts specific to your child -- saving you time from having to read your child's every post - a fact that your teenager may eventually appreciate.

Source: Pew Internet Report by Amanda Lenhart, Teens & Mobile Phones

For more Social Networking Tips for Parents, visit our Parental control guides.

WHEN: Tuesday, December 14, 2010, 10:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. EST
WHERE: McKinley Technology High School Auditorium, 151 T Street Northeast, Washington D.C., 20002
LIVE WEBCAST: Join online at http://reboot.fcc.gov/live
TWITTER: follow hashtag #GenMobile on Twitter
FORUM: Generation Mobile Questions Forum

The event brings together teens, parents, educators and experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges around mobile technology use by teens today.

Send your questions to livequestions@fcc.gov or participate in the online forum for Generation Mobile to add a question or vote on your favorite questions to ask the panel.

Generation Mobile will feature remarks by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski and a presentation of findings from a Pew Internet and American Life study on kids' mobile phone usage.

The forum will include a panel of teens, parents and educators sharing their thoughts on mobile technology.

A second panel will focus on educating and empowering parents through an "Ask the Mobile Experts" session. The experts will also recommend tools and resources for parents and kids for the safe and responsible use of mobile phones.

Panelists and Speakers include:

Julius Genachowski, FCC Chairman
Rosalind Wiseman, Author of Queen Bees and Wannabes, basis for Mean Girls the movie
Tim Sparapani, Director of Public Policy, Facebook
Amanda Lenhart, Senior Research Specialist, Pew Research Center
Marsali Hancock, President, Internet Keep Safe Coalition
Michael Clark, Co-Founder, SafetyWeb
Maureen Cooney, Privacy Officer, Sprint
Stephen Balkam, CEO, Family Online Safety Institute
Alan Simpson, Vice President, Common Sense Media
and more!

The event is free and open to the public. Due to limited seating, those attending the event live are asked to pre-register by submitting their name, organizational affiliation and phone number to generationmobile@fcc.gov.

For more information see the press release on Generation Mobile.

Additional Resources:
Teens and Mobile Phones - A Resource Guide for Parents

ConnectSafely.org - Safety Tips for GPS Location Sharing

Pew Internet: Teens, Texting and Mobile Phones

Your child may be cyberstalked if he/she:

1.       Spends long periods of time on the computer, especially late at night.

2.       Receives several unwanted emails (including spam) or text messages per day.

3.       Makes calls to numbers that you do not recognize.

4.       Has an email address or cell phone account that has been hacked.

5.       Learns that friends or family have received emails from their address which they did not send themselves (a.k.a. email forgery).

6.       Uses an email address that you do not recognize.

7.       Receives electronic viruses.

8.       Is cyberbullied in online chat rooms or forums.

9.       Discovers their personal information posted online without their consent, or worse- has their identity stolen.

10.   Closes windows or turns off the computer monitor when you or another parent is nearby.

11.   Receives physical gifts, mail and packages from someone you do not know.

12.   Becomes withdrawn from family, friends, school, and activities.

13.   Exhibits feelings of anger, annoyance, anxiety, fear, helplessness, sickness, depression or suicidal thoughts.

14.   Has difficulty sleeping and/or concentrating.

15.   Experiences weight fluctuations (losing or gaining).

To prevent cyberstalking, consider using an Internet monitoring software (like SafetyWeb) to help protect your children and teens online. Safetyweb requires no download or installation, you can access it from anywhere via web, mail alerts or mobile phone. For more information about our subscription plan, click here.

Interested in more? Follow us (@SafetyWeb) on Twitter and like us on Facebook!

Promoting this trend are websites like Incostume.com, Yandy.com, and Anniescostumes.com which each feature a “sexy teen costume” category that is marketed directly to young girls. In fact, Miley Cyrus’ 9-year-old sister, Noah, made big news last year after she appeared at a celebrity Halloween party dressed as part dominatrix/ part sexy vampire. (See photo).

This Halloween, we will most likely see a slew of young girls dressed up as the uninhibited Lady Gaga, and donning skin tight dresses like Snooki from “The Jersey Shore,” or wearing suggestive short shorts and cupcake bras like Katy Perry in her “California Gurls” music video.

Teens will most likely flock to social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter to post what they think are merely fun Halloween photographs. Unfortunately, many children are unaware that these photographs can be viewed by virtually anybody and can directly affect their online reputations, potentially jeopardizing their chances of being accepted to a dream school or hired by a future employer. After all, once the photographs are posted online, they are permanent fixtures in cyberspace and help to define a child’s digital footprint forever.

Other girls may feel compelled to capture racy Halloween photos with their cell phone cameras and then send them to friends or boyfriends. They may not realize that sending (or receiving) sexually-charged photos is called sexting and in many states, is actually against the law.

So, aside from paying close attention to what your teen or tween is wearing this weekend, we should all do our part in educating our kids about online safety. Let’s explain the possible consequences of posting inappropriate photos online in a way that they can understand. Let's remind them to maintain their privacy settings on social networking sites, and let’s tell them that sending explicit photos to anybody can be considered a crime. Lastly, let’s take careful steps to help them understand the importance of managing their online reputations and prevent them from putting their futures at risk.

On that note, SafetyWeb would like to wish all of our loyal readers and subscribers a very "spooky" and safe Halloween.

Interested in more? Follow us (@SafetyWeb) on Twitter and like us on Facebook!

1. Review your cell phone ground rules. Does your child's school allow cell phones in classrooms?  Do they have unlimited access to web browsing and downloading? How many text messages do you permit them to send/receive? With school back in session, consider setting limits on some or all of these privileges.  Keep in mind that you can contact your cell phone provider to block a specific phone on your family plan from downloading excessive content.
2. Discuss the dangers of sexting.  If you’ve already had this talk with your child, reiterate the consequences (which may include possible expulsion and criminal charges) so that he/she is well aware of them in preparation of the new school year.  Even passing along an explicit photo to a friend can make your child an accomplice.
3. Become familiar with your school’s bullying policy.  Unfortunately, school can be a scary and hurtful place for many children because bullies flourish there.  Are you familiar with your school’s policy on bullying?  Does it include cyberbullying as well?  What are the consequences and are the students made aware of them?  Do you suspect that your child may be a bully, or a bullying victim?
4. Get equally acquainted with your school’s Internet policy.  Computers are everywhere these days and that includes in your child’s school.  What is the school’s policy on Internet usage?  Do they protect your child’s privacy and personal information?
5. Set healthy limits on home computer usage.  Do your best to make sure that your child is spending quality time on the computer for homework or other educational purposes.  If necessary, move the computer to a shared space (like the living room) and set time limits on how long your child can spend online.
6. Encourage open dialogue.  Without nagging your child for frequent updates, try gently asking how their first week of school is going.  Show your support and let them know that they’re welcome to approach you if they ever have anything they’d like to discuss.

For more updates, follow us on Twitter (@SafetyWeb) or friend us on Facebook!

N2 2CB. WBU?

Translation: “I’m into hallucinogenics. What about you?”

WTG 4 a \%/?

Translation: “Want to go for a drink?”

%*@:-(

Translation: “Hung-over and got a headache.”

Ctn pos. tdtm l8r k? :**:”

Translation: “Can’t talk now. Parent over shoulder. Talk dirty to me later, OK? Returning the kiss.”

No 420? Wiyp?

Translation: “No weed? What is your problem?”

LM4a~~#ZZZZZZ>

Translation: “Let’s meet for a joint.”

For more information on this story, click here.

“With the increase in technological devices, children are now using [them] to harass and harm other children,” says Bridget Roberts-Pittman, an assistant professor of counseling at Indiana State University.

Parents should take special notice if their child exhibits a bout of anxiety, depression, or withdrawal.  It’s important to note that many kids and teens who are victims of "technology harassment" may not realize that there is action they can take against the instigators, such as contacting site administrators to remove content, or talking to the police.  In many cases, this lack of awareness contributes to a child’s downward spiral, and a quick talk by parents about the best way to respond could significantly lessen a child’s feeling of helplessness.

Here are some tips to help your child from falling victim to “sextortion”:

1. Keep in mind that “sextortion” is very difficult to detect, so try to monitor your child’s cell phone and Internet activities as much as possible.
2. Remind your child to refrain from sending embarrassing or potentially damaging photographs to anybody, even a relative.
3. Do not hesitate to call your local authorities as soon as a threat is made.
4. Create a secure and welcoming environment so that your child feels comfortable approaching you or another adult if any problems arise.

For more information on this story, click here.

Although only 5% of the 1,032 moms surveyed believe that their child is addicted to online activities, there were still quite a few concerns.  62% of the moms are concerned that their child may be engaging in inappropriate online communication with adults, 57% are worried their child may be threatened by cyberbullying, 56% are worried about their child becoming involved in sexting, and 53% of moms are concerned that their child will become addicted to the Internet.

Concerns aside, however, most of today’s mom’s believe that technology is a plus for families and helps them to stay connected to their children.

For more information on this story, click here.