AT&T Mobile Safety – Key Issues

Families are more connected and mobile than ever. Thanks to all the BTWs, FYIs and I Over the last year, AT&T has been talking to parents and kids about wireless safety, but we need to do more.

And with your help, we can.

How can you help?

Goals

•Help parents and teens feel like AT&T is a partner in helping them stay safe.

•Set AT&T apart from other carriers by communicating our point-of-view and ownership on a very real issue affecting families.

•Move the conversation from “restriction” (e.g., limit, cost, control, block and filter) to “empowerment” (peace of mind, ease, freedom, collaboration).

Let’s talk about age ranges and what that means your for kid(s).

8-11 years old

31% have a cell phone but why. What does a kid that young need a phone for? Well believe it or not, kids this young only want a phone for the coolness factor, not because it’s the center of their lives.

There are key issues that you should talk to your kids about if they are in this age range.

• The Responsibility of a phone
• losing the phone
• accidentally using features they shouldn’t
• safety ground rules (don’t answer unknown numbers)

12-14 years old

69% of kids have a cell phone and it’s a part of their identity and the center of their social universe.

Key issues with this age range can be tricky because you want to define the limits; protect but don’t overprotect.

• Bill shock (overages)
• communication ground rules (no bad words, no cell phones at dinner, ect.)
• finding boundaries while allowing freedom
• phone punishment

Finally, we have he 15-17 year olds

85% of kids in this age range have a cell phone to know ones surprise. The phone is a necessity, it’s the way that everyone around them communicates. At this point the ground rules are set, teens want more freedom and usage out of the phone. The key issues are simple. Take the rules from the 12-14 year olds and just let off little by little giving your kids more freedom.

AT&T has lots of products and services to help you and you’re family… even if you aren’t an AT&T customer!

Here are some of my favorite features:

AT&T Family Map! – AT&T Family Map lets you locate family members on a map from your mobile phone or computer. You can also schedule and receive alerts to confirm when a family member arrives at a predetermined location. www.familymap.att.com

AT&T DriveMode! - Curb the urge to text and drive. When enabled, the app sends a customizable auto-reply message to incoming texts, letting friends and family know that you’re behind the wheel and will reply when it’s safe. www.att.com/drivemode

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