AMTA has responded to a Channel Seven news story this week calling for the banning or restriction of mobile phones in schools because some young people have been engaged in inappropriate practices and have viewed unsuitable material on their handsets.

AMTA Chief Executive, Chris Althaus, told Channel Seven that banning mobile phones in schools was not the answer because they were an important part of children’s lives and parents relied on mobile phones to keep in touch with their children, particularly if they had to contact them urgently.

“Like any technology, mobile phones are open to abuse. I think when there are calls for bans on phones we should look at this issue in a balanced way. Research by leading Australian academics has found, overwhelmingly, that mobile telecommunications are an indispensable part of the everyday life of Australians.

“About nine in ten report that their lives could not ‘proceed as normal’ if they were suddenly without their mobile phone.”

Mr Althaus said this did not mean there were not problems associated with their use, such as cyber bullying among teenagers.

One of the keys to promoting safe and responsible use of mobile phones among young people was involving parents to take some responsibility for ensuring their children’s cyber safety when using mobile technology.

It was important for parents to be aware and monitor their children’s activities and usage and have a clear mobile phone agreement. Parents also needed to support schools in their efforts to manage the use of the technologies in the school environment.

Mr Althaus said on Channel Seven: “It’s commonplace that when it comes to mobile technology, it is the parents that are novices and the children are the experts. We encourage parents to engage with the technology and know what your children are doing.”

He said children should also understand that they may be breaking the law and there were legal penalties for anyone who misused mobile telecommunications to menace, harass or offend others.

Mr Althaus said there were technological aids to assist parents, who should check with carriers, to see if they offered filtering and applications controls. However, there were no technological “silver bullets” and it was vital for parents to be engaged in their child’s use of mobile technology.

AMTA has tips for students and parents to guide them in the safe and responsible use of mobile phones. They can be viewed under Consumer Tips. 

AMTA also has a schools policy template providing a framework to assist parents, teachers and students to set the ground rules for responsible and acceptable use of mobile phones in the school environment.