These days it seems almost every teenager has a cell phone. In some cases it is their lifeline, their connection to the outside world, their safety net when something goes wrong. But increasingly it can also be extremely dangerous, even life-changing. This article looks at the very real risks associated with cell phone use among young people and what we as parents should be doing to protect our kids from themselves.

You have probably heard of the growing trend for young people to send provocative images of themselves to friends via cell phones. Once sent, these photos are easily transferred to others or downloaded onto the internet, creating a digital footprint which cannot easily be erased. Those photos, now in the public arena, often in multiple places, are there forever to potentially damage future career opportunities and/or relationships.

More and more young people think nothing of distributing these pictures to their friends but fail to consider the consequences if they were to get into the wrong hands - and they will. You now have no control over where your photos end up or of who will see them. They are now public property, set to remain floating in cyberspace, creating public humiliation and damaging your reputation until long after you reach old age.

The message to young people is -

• Don't do it. Do not under any circumstances send provocative images of yourself or others via a cell phone or on the internet.
• If you receive such a photo, delete it immediately. In many countries it is illegal to be in possession of such photos let alone be responsible for transferring them. Don't put yourself at risk.

Parents -

• Warn your children about the consequences of such behaviour. Be clear about how this can affect their future job prospects and relationships.
• Find out the legal implications should they even be an unwitting party to such an incident and tell them what they can expect as far as the law is concerned.
• Learn how to use your child's phone so that you can monitor their use. Let them know that you will check their phone records if you have any cause to be suspicious.
• Check the photo gallery on your child's social networking pages and remove any photos that you consider to be inappropriate.
• Give your children clear rules on what you expect from their cell phone use and follow through with appropriate punishments should these rules be broken.

These are serious issues that can have irreparable consequences. Talk to your kids and you just might save them (and you) a whole lot of unwanted problems.