[vanrunner]

I earlier posted about this in a similar thread "Ban Pornography on the Blackberry" which I'll admit became a firey topic here. I've carefully read what everyone said and I think I have a far better plan of action.

My points are

1) Blackberry users should be able to use their Blackberries however they want. This includes viewing Adult content if you are NOT a minor.

2) Despite my previous views, I can see that the government is not the best vehicle to censor the internet on Blackberries but instead is a good vehicle for pressuring Mobile Carriers to give the option of censorship to users.

3) Parents need to be better educated on these issues and the more information we have, the better we can be in choosing how we protect our children.

I am not for pornography, but I am also not against freedom and blanket censorship from our government. All I want is the ability to censor my Son's Blackberry to protect him and still give him the ability to use it to his full capacity, without cutting him off or removing his data plan.

I strongly feel this is something the carriers should provide to us and if you feel this way also please join my facebook group (modified from your input) and help us elevate this issue to our representatives.

...

p.s. Sorry for before, I was pretty scared with all this happening and now at least I feel better informed. Thanks to all of you for the great advice!

Mary.

[vanrunner]

BTW I welcome your advice on moving forward. I don't want this to become a monster but at the same time I want to be a good example to my son Kevin.

[zazzified]

In all fairness, you do have the ability to censor your son's phone. You can remove his data plan and block texts.

[CA27]

I hope none of your sons friends or classmates stumble across this group.

[vanrunner]

I hope none of your sons friends or classmates stumble across this group.

Funny I was hoping they did.

[danhclare]

shouldn't you be reading those parenting guides?

[vanrunner]

In all fairness, you do have the ability to censor your son's phone. You can remove his data plan and block texts.

We need a better option then just turning off his phone!

[CA27]

Funny I was hoping they did.

Ah I didn't even think of that!

[jasonlitka]

I've not read your other thread, but here's a couple thoughts on this one:

1. Don't get your kids BBs. Instead, get a cheap phone that can be used for calling (Anyone remember when phones could make calls?) or <shudder>texting</shudder>.
2. If you think kids are getting into a lot of porn on phones you're going to have a coronary when you check out the history on your Son's computer. There isn't a filtering package made that can block the attempts of a determined individual, I should know, I make my living on this sort of thing. I got my first job back in High School breaching their network security.

[MMORAN03]

It's simple he's 14 give him a normal phone like most kids. I doubt he has that many emails he needs to read and the need to go on the internet that often to warrant having a blackberry.

[danhclare]

We need a better option then just turning off his phone!

no, that would be the only option.

[jasonlitka]

We need a better option then just turning off his phone!

No, you really don't. You're the one who enabled your son to access content you deemed objectionable by giving him the BB. Just take it away and give him a normal phone without a data plan.

[SevereDeceit]

This will end just like the other thread

Unfortunately it will, I wasn't trying to sound negative when I said the last thread would be locked, but it was. I 've been here awhile and this subject has always been touchy, it's just the way it is...

[BBThemes]

1) Blackberry users should be able to use their Blackberries however they want. This includes viewing Adult content if you are NOT a minor.

hi there, i do not mean to sound at all disrespectful, however as per your comment above, a minor is not able to purchase a phone on contract, therefore the network provider has already safeguarded against this, thus leaving the responsibility with the contract owner who is of adult age.

however i must also add that in the uk there is an option to add `content control` which would in your situation be ideal, however i know uk law is a completely different thing to us law so that may be where the difference lies, but the fact unfortunately still remains that as the responsible adult owner of the phone, the onus for its use if passed on to a third party is completely with yourself

as i have said i dont want to sound disrespectful, and completely appologise if i have come accross as, but i would echoe other peoples comments on remove the data plan, the effects would be two fold, 1) no access to what he`s been loking at that he shouldnt, 2)no web, view that as the appropriate punishment.

[Reed McLay]

Unfortunately it will, I wasn't trying to sound negative when I said the last thread would be locked, but it was. I 've been here awhile and this subject has always been touchy, it's just the way it is...

The only way this thread will stay on topic is intense content moderation. It is inevitable that it will be closed, but there are valid points raised worthy of discussion.

Please help us keep it focused on topic. We value input from all members, but it must comply with our site posting guidelines.

[SevereDeceit]

Please help us keep in focused on topic.

No problem, will do...

[vanrunner]

Please help us keep it focused on topic. We value input from all members, but it must comply with our site posting guidelines.

Thanks I hope this can help bring people together unlike my last post which just polarized everyone. Sorry about that. I realize I have to be more moderate.

[redsoxrocker]

mary, i'd like to know why you're so focused on banning pornography from blackberrys. why aren't you pushing to block pornography from computers, and heck, dvds and magazines while you're at it. i understand that you don't want this readily available for your son, but if he can watch porn on his blackberry, i'm sure he's got it on his computer. and if you've blocked it, what stops him from having porn shipped to his house in an unmarked envelope? what about magazines like playboy and penthouse? your son surely has access to a regular magazine store. maybe his friends have it and he can just pop a cd into his computer to watch it even if you've blocked it on the internet.

the point is pornography is easily accessible these days, thanks to modern technology (as well as other typical mediums).

edit: ps parental controls (if you're on verizon)

Verizon Parental Control Center - Parental Controls, Family Locator, Content Filtering for TV, Online & Wireless

[Joosh]

Maybe I can offer a bit of insight on your son's line of thinking.

I am 20 years old, and I obviously grew up in the age of technology. We had our first computer when I was 12 years old and broadband internet access by the time I was 13.

I can tell you that at the age of 14, I was looking at pornography as were most of my friends my age, whether they had the same access means as my friends or not. I will admit technology does make it 100x easier and that my parents were oblivious because they were unaware of how open the internet was (although as I got older they would learn rather quickly).

I can tell you that the fact that I looked at pornography at the age of 14 did not make me a horrible person. I assume at this age it is a natural part of development. I can also tell you that it never made me a sexual deviant in any fashion. The lessons my parents taught me as I grew up (being respectful to woman and treating them right) continue to stick with me today as do other lessons that they taught to me.

The point I'm trying to make is that it is a natural part of development for kids to be curious about those kinds of things. However, they didn't warp my mind and I continue to carry with me the lessons my parents taught to me.

Its great that you want to restrict pornography access for your kid, and that is your right as a parent. However, that means that it is YOUR responsibility as his parent to make that happen. The government doesn't have any right to restrict those things although it does toe the line in some instances.

It sounds like you should be more concerned about him stealing your credit card. My parents taught me consistently that stealing was wrong and I don't think I have ever gone against that although maybe I have and I didn't remember. But its those kinds of things that, left unchecked, can lead to bigger issues, such as drugs and alcohol. Pornography, left unchecked, isn't going to make your kid do drugs.

[vanrunner]

Ok I'm not aiming to Ban pornography as I know this will never happen. I also don't have any delusions of what my Son can and can't see on the internet. The point is that I would like carriers to provide us the with ability to filter these sites from the devices. Like adding voice mail or call waiting. I understand that it's not a perfect solution but it's at least something that Parents can get behind.

[Tandesrn9]

I don't think that its the carriers responsibility to make sure peoples kids can look at pornography on their mobile devices, it's the responsibility of the one who gave the child the device, in this case, the parent.

If you are that worried about it, you should hire a developer to create an app the with block certain web content, whether such an app is possible to create, I dont know.

and just remember, Dogs will hunt, kids will look at porn. Depending on your perspective it's the sad truth,

[dyeguy21]

I realize you want to block content from the child's phone. As most have suggested here getting a normal cell phone that doesn't have internet access is really the only route. He's 14, unless he run's his own business there is really no reason to have it apart from him being cool and mocking his iPhone friends.

I was 21 before I even considered it and I have a small business I run at college that I need my e-mails and web access for as I'm constantly working with eBay. Before then I saw NO reason to have a phone that did more than text and call. There are phones with full keyboards just for this purpose.

The reason I suggest this: It is impossible to block all of the content you want because there are so many different names/new sites/crossovers that it becomes a problem. Child wants to do a report on a war and all of the sites are blocked due to violence. A health report on reproduction, a report on the white house... try .gov vs. .com. It's is a complicated and ever expanding world that is nearly impossible to reign in. Sites don't necessarily have to have certain words that the filters look for, they can merely be the name of a model or star.

The bottom line: there are too many websites with too many variants on adult themes that make it impossible for businesses to reasonably proclaim that they "block all adult content" unless they have 100,000 people searching and adding websites to a list constantly.

Change his phone to a texting and calling phone. Let him use the moderately protected resource of a true computer to connect to the internet because he has no reason to have the internet/email.

[strevi69]

You should have started him off with a dumb phone first until he got older and more responsible then upgrade him to a better phone..Everyone wants the best for their kids and to keep up with the Jones's but I mean c'mon I see 5th and 6th graders with iphones/bb's in school and then the parents get upset when the prinicpal takes them away and fines the parent after the 1st offense..Do you really need an iphone or bb to have your parents pick you up from practice after school??? Everything is just given to kids without any responsibility...I remember getting a used toyota in high school and was disappointed, all my friends got brand new cars, Iroc Z, Mustangs,Barretas ect., but you know what--they wrecked them, the cars got keyed up, and they did not take care of them at all, Why?? they did not pay for it--who cares....Thats what happens with all the extremely high text message bills parents receive, kids text and text, they dont care, they dont have to pay for it, so they do what they want..I believe if you start at the bottom and work your way up you tend to appreciated things alot more, you understand what hard work was done to pay for that phone/bill or car....But what do I know.........

[bmfan]

i just checked my account at at&t and it does have a content filtering service. its 4.99 per month, i believe verizon has one available to for the same price. did you check with whoever your carrier is to see if they have it ?

it looks like you are starting a petition to get a service they already have...

Wireless Parental Controls | Wireless from AT&T, formerly Cingular

Verizon Wireless adds Usage Controls to help users and their kids control mobile phone usage