Scrutiny by the Masses: LG, Texting and My Kids

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and LG Text Ed

These are the answers to the questions that you guys left for my kids to answer.

Just to clarify - my kids have bought their own phones. They pay their portion of the bill each month - $40 for Allegra, $50 for Nik. If they can't pay it, they can't use the phone. Allegra has parental controls set on her phone which cut the phone off at 9:30.

Hey it's Allegra. I'm answering these questions.

1. I guess my biggest question is, do kids really understand the dangers, or do they just give lip service to us old people who try to talk to them about it. I have tried and tried to discuss online safety with my 14 year old and all I get is "I know mom."

I understand the dangers and I try to keep myself distanced from the creeps out there. I have received weird friend requests and disturbing messages but it's really easy to just delete and ignore them.

2. Is it fair for your parents to check up on your cell phone texting etc now & then if they are footing the bill?

I feel as though it's a breach of privacy to the privilege you are giving them. But that's coming from me and I pay my own bill.

3. I'm curious to know what sort of information they'd share with a "stranger" (this could be the Facebook profile available for everyone to see, the friend of a friend of a friend, etc) online? I'm frequently amazed by the pictures that I am able to view on Facebook by people in my general network (but people that I do not know at all).

My facebook is private and I ignore all friend requests from people i don't personally know.

4. Do either one of them ever feel "the danger" of the predators on the internet? On facebook or through random texts they receive?

I realize that the danger is present, but avoid at all costs.

5. What percentage of people do they know text while driving? Any ideas how to best discourage this habit in teens?

85% I strongly discourage all my friends from texting and driving, although the majority of my peers text and drive. I usually offer to text for them while they drive.

6. Do your kids freely give out/post real names and/or numbers without a second thought? Or do they carefully consider what information they share with others online?

Nope, I don't do it, I think about what I'm posting.

7. I'm really curious as to what they and their friends think about kids who don't have cell phones. Is a teen doomed to no friends? Do they even care if their friends have phones?

All of my peers have cell phones. If you don't, it's abnormal.

8. Do your kids remain skeptical of things others reveal about themselves on the internet? How likely are they to believe someones purported age/sex/occupation?

Again, I don't accept friend requests from people I don't know, so I usually don't believe those people.

9. Do they have a plan for if their phone is stolen/misplaced, and gets into the hands of someone they wouldn't want looking at it's contents? Life can be cruel in HS, and phones become the new diary of sorts... Just thinking of the possibilities now gives me the creeps

I would be in shambles if someone had my phone. It's like a security blanket.

10. Do any of your friends NOT have cell phones? How any hours a day to you spend on your phone?

All of my friends have phones. I text in the morning before school, after school til night, then on the weekends 24/7.

And now for Nik:

1- I guess my biggest question is, do kids really understand the dangers, or do they just give lip service to us old people who try to talk to them about it. I have tried and tried to discuss online safety with my 14 year old and all I get is "I know mom.

I think kids understand the dangers as they get older and experience friends involved with the 'dangers'

2 - Is it fair for your parents to check up on your cell phone texting etc now & then if they are footing the bill?

I think if you live in the house, for free, and are under the 'age of consent' then the texts could be monitored.

3 - I'm curious to know what sort of information they'd share with a "stranger" (this could be the Facebook profile available for everyone to see, the friend of a friend of a friend, etc) online? I'm frequently amazed by the pictures that I am able to view on Facebook by people in my general network (but people that I do not know at all).

My facebook is set to as private as it goes, you can only view my profile picture, unless you're a friend.

4 - Do either one of them ever feel "the danger" of the predators on the internet? On facebook or through random texts they receive?

No I have never experienced any kind of predator.

5 - What percentage of people do they know text while driving? Any ideas how to best discourage this habit in teens?

I text while driving, many friends do, but I do not participate while driving in traffic, usually just if I am coasting to a stop or on a low traffic road.

6 - Do your kids freely give out/post real names and/or numbers without a second thought? Or do they carefully consider what information they share with others online?

I don't usually just give out my number. Depends on the friends.

7 - I'm really curious as to what they and their friends think about kids who don't have cell phones. Is a teen doomed to no friends? Do they even care if their friends have phones?

It's easier to talk to my friends if they have phones, especially with the texting phenomenon. Many of the less popular kids at my high school did not have personal cell phones, and my social life began to expand after I started my own phone plan.

8 - Do your kids remain skeptical of things others reveal about themselves on the internet? How likely are they to believe someones purported age/sex/occupation?

I don't have much interest in other people's facebook information.

9 - Do they have a plan for if their phone is stolen/misplaced, and gets into the hands of someone they wouldn't want looking at it's contents? Life can be cruel in HS, and phones become the new diary of sorts... Just thinking of the possibilities now gives me the creeps.

My iPhone is password protected, and after ten attempts all the data is erased, so no, I am not too worried

10 - Do any of your friends NOT have cell phones? How any hours a day to you spend on your phone?

All of my friends have cell phones, most of the time that I spend on my phone is for family or work usage. I don't spend much time on the phone for leisure time.