Most parents of teenagers are concerned about what their teenage children do online and how their behavior could be monitored by others. Some parents are taking steps to observe, discuss, and check up on their children's digital footprints, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project.

• 81% of parents of online teens say they are concerned about how much information advertisers can learn about their child's online behavior, with some 46% being "very" concerned.
• 72% of parents of online teens are concerned about how their child interacts online with people they do not know, with some 53% of parents being "very" concerned.
• 69% of parents of online teens are concerned about how their child's online activity might affect their future academic or employment opportunities, with some 44% being "very" concerned about that.
• 69% of parents of online teens are concerned about how their child manages his or her reputation online, with some 49% being "very" concerned about that.
• Some of these expressions of concern are particularly acute for the parents of younger teens; 63% of parents of teens ages 12-13 say they are "very" concerned about their child's interactions with people they do not know online and 57% say they are "very" concerned about how their child manages his or her reputation online.

Read the full report online here.

 

Activating Parental Controls on Cell Phones

All the major cell phone carriers in the United States provide parents with some form of parental controls for their cell phones and/or wireless family plans.  The CTIA has developed an extensive listing of all major carriers'—including Apple's—parental control programs and options.  You can access the extensive list here and find your carrier and the options available to you.