My mobile
Mobile phones are great for keeping in touch with friends and family. But there are some things you should keep in mind.
For example, if you download ‘free’ ring tones or other offers that are sent to you by SMS, you may find yourself with a very high phone bill. Cyberbullying, people making inappropriate contact, or coming across websites and other materials that you didn’t want to see can be problems as well.
Your privacy is also important. In the same way you protect your privacy online it’s important that you don’t share private/ personal details or photos using your mobile phone. It’s easy to forward SMS messages and photos but you never know where they might end up.
Tips
- Only give out your mobile number to people you know and trust. Respect your friends’ privacy by not giving away their details without permission.
- Don’t tell anyone your personal details such as your name, address or school.
- Always check with your parents before sending private information to anyone using your mobile phone.
- Think before you send. The person who you send information, pictures or videos to may not be the only one who will see them—so if you don’t want them to go public, don’t send them.
- Don’t accept offers that sound too good to be true. They probably are, and you or your parents could end up with unexpectedly high phone bills. Check with your parents before accepting any offers.
- If your phone is lost or is stolen, ask your parents to notify your network carrier and the police immediately. If you can, tell them your IMEI number (generally found inside the battery compartment of your phone —your parents can help with this) and any other identifying features of the phone. The telephone carrier can use this number to block your phone from all networks in Australia once you report the phone lost or stolen, making it useless to any thief. More information is at: www.amta.org.au
- If you use Bluetooth, ask your parents to help you change the settings so that the phone is not ‘discoverable’. This means that it can’t be found or discovered by other Bluetooth-enabled devices searching for another one. Keeping your phone undiscoverable is a good protection against hackers.
Tips for dealing with unwanted SMS and voice messages