Texting or Sexting – Do you Know What Your Kids are Doing?

Intercept SMS Text Messages

As sending text messages from cell phones has become a focus in youth social life, parents, educators and advocates have grown increasingly anxious about the role of cellular phones in the sexual lives of young adults. A new survey from the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (pewinternet.org/topics/Teens.aspx) found that 4% of cell phone owning youths ages 12-17 say they have sent sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude images or videos of themselves to other people using SMS text messages. This practice is commonly referred to “sexting” in today’s vernacular. Additionally, 15% say they have received these kinds of images images of someone they already know by way of text message. According to research from market researchers The Nielsen Company (blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/under-aged-texting-usage-and-actual-cost/) American young people send an unbelievable average of ten SMS messages every hour that they are not in school or sleeping – and most likely a lot during class too! By evaluating over than 40,000 monthly US mobile telecom bills, Nielsen determined that American teenagers sent an average of an astonishing 3,146 texts every month during the third quarter 2009.

SMS Text Monitoring

Their younger counterparts – tweenagers – from age 9 to 12 sent an average of 1,146 texts every month. That that averages out to about four every hour they were in school or not sleeping. In comparison, the average number of monthly texts sent by all cellular users collectively was a little more than 500. In the fourth quarter 2009, tweenage users from age 9 to 12 increased SMS usage by eight percent just about doubling the quantity of text messages.

Monitor SMS Text Messages

Focus group findings show that sending provocative images happens most often during one of three typical scenarios: The first, exchanges of images solely between two romantic partners; the next, lists exchanges between partners that are then shared with other people; followed by, exchanges between people who are not yet in a relationship, but with one person hoping there will be one. Teenagers were interviewed and gave researchers a variety of reasons behind the impulse to get involved with sexting. These included the researcher’s interpretation that “…sexually suggestive images had become a form of relationship currency,”; that sexting images “… are shared as a part of or instead of sexual activity,” and that SMS text message sexting is a way of starting or maintaining a relationship. Sensitive images are also passed along to other people “… for their entertainment value, as a joke, or for fun.” Teens also described to researchers the peer pressure to share sexual images. Not surprisingly the report also reveals that youths who are more intense users of mobile phones are more likely to to be sent inappropriate images. For these young people, the phone has become such a common means for communication and content of all kinds that turning it off is unlikely.

Perfect Storm Sexting meets Parental Control

The combination of risk-taking and sexual exploration during the teen years mixed with regular connection via cell phones and other mobile devices “…creates a ‘perfect storm’ for sexting,” said Pew’s Amanda Lenhart. “Teenagers have always grappled with issues around sex and relationships, but their coming-of-age mistakes and transgressions have never been so easily transmitted and archived for others to see.”

The Teen Text Messaging Market Will Continue to Expand

Despite the indications that per user usage has peaked (they can’t possibly use them more can they?!?) Nielsen estimates that overall text message usage will increase as the avid user population ages and entices the older generations to text with them in order to stay in contact with them. Current SMS users are expected to continue to use texting extensively and as tweenagers become teenagers they are in all probability going to follow the trends of texting established by current teens. The number of text messages sent per capita has grown every year and should continue.

Mobile SMS Tracking Software

If you’ve got teens then you’re probably not surprised by the usage numbers. In all probability most parents don’t believe their teenagers are involved with sexting, or they are looking for ways to find out. While parents may be upset that all the texts their teens and tweens are sending are going to break the bank, Nielsen research shows the average cost of a single text message is just one cent. The real issue affecting families is not so much how often teens use their phones but has more to do with how they use their phones, and when they are texting.

Parental Control Software for Smart Phones

A workable technological solution available for parents and guardians to find out what what’s going on with their kids is spyphone software. An excellent source of information on spyphone software for Parental Control is SpyMobi Spy Phone.

SMS Monitoring Software

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