My Mobile Watchdog is a safety service that allows parents to monitor their child’s mobile phone usage in order to safeguard them against inappropriate and dangerous activity. During a time of increased instances of cyber bullying, sexting and sexual predators, this software is an important tool for families.

For many children, the presence of My Mobile Watchdog will be seen as an acceptable trade-off for having their own mobile phone. Likewise, the majority of children will use their phone for appropriate communication with friends and family, and probably feel they have nothing to hide.

However some children might find it difficult to adjust to the software. We understand this, and suggest encouraging an open and honest dialogue with your family in order to discuss the issues surrounding cyber safety and why My Mobile Watchdog is important.

When you first install My Mobile Watchdog, we encourage you to sit down with your child and explain exactly what elements of their communication you will be monitoring. Be honest, up front and stick to your commitment.

The best part of this technology is its flexibility and you can adjust the level of monitoring to suit your particular situation.

For example, it is perfectly reasonably that you might want to monitor all activity on the phone of a particularly young child. After all, young children are not always equipped with the knowledge and life experience to make responsible decisions and require guidance from time to time.

On the same token, a teenage child could require a more lenient approach. You might decide to disregard all communication, except that which is suspicious or unapproved. You can receive notification via e-mail when your child contacts someone in their address book that you have not approved.

Modern society is constantly changing. Technology has shaped the way people interact with each other and mobile phones are a dominant part of our lives. Children have especially adopted these new trends, including social media and instant messaging. It is therefore important for parents to monitor their activity.

In a way that doesn’t alarm your child, we suggest discussing some of the issues surrounding technology and safety. Cyber bullying and sexting are increasingly common and authorities have issued a number of warnings about sexual predators using mobile phone technology.

The unfortunate reality is that most children will come into contact with inappropriate or dangerous material while using mobile phone technology. As a parent, it is natural to want to protect your child and intervene when the safety of your child is compromised.

When discussing My Mobile Watchdog and issues of cyber safety with your child, we recommend open and honest dialogue. Parents might find our resources section useful.

What to do if you find inappropriate material?
If you find inappropriate or potentially dangerous material on your child’s mobile phone, you should discuss it with your family, child’s school and possibly the police.