Cell Phones Preferred for Porn
March 7th, 2006
Posted by: Theo NicolakisA recently published article in New Scientist reported that cell phones are increasingly being used for accessing porgography. In fact, according to research conducted by Google, the percentage of users accessing pornography on cell phones is greater than that on personal computers. 20% of searches conducted through mobile phones via Google’s mobile search were for adult content. Searches for adult content through PDA’s or Personal Digital Assistants such as Palm Pilots accounted for only 5%. These figures are in contrast to 8.5% of computer users who search for adult material.
Google theorized that since cell phones are perceived as being something persona, people were there fore more likely to feel comfortable searching for adult material on them.
These statistics stand as a wake-up call for clergy and parents. Cell phones today are not simply portable telephones. On the contrary, the cell phone carriers are now positioning cell phones as portable media entertainment devices. For a glimpse of what is ahead, look at Mobile ESPN, which is not just a nice cell phone with ESPN on it; rather, it is positioned as the mobile sports experience. ESPN’s commercial at the 2006 Superbowl, which shows a person walking on a city street surrounded by different sporting events, personified this concept.
Now imagine the same concept applied to pornography and other illicit material. Now imagine this material being accessed by a twelve-year old. The pastoral and parenting risks are real; and this is something that is a problem today, and not a decade down the road.
In February, USA Today published the results of a July 2005 telephone survey conducted by Frank N. Magid Associates, who surveyed 1109 consumers ages 12 and older. The study, which focused on the number of cellphones in use per household, showed:
• 19% had no cell phones
• 26% had one cell phone
• 33% had two cell phones
• 13% had three cell phones
• 8% had four or more
Today, you cannot purchase a cell phone without a built-in camera. In the very near future, you will only be able to purchase a multimedia-enabled phone.
For this reason, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has been an active member of the Religious Alliance Against Pornography (RAAP), which is taking an active stand against issues like these. However, what can parents and clergy do to protect their children?
1) Circumvent access to pornography at the cell phone store: You must be 18 years or older to purchase a cell phone. Make sure that if you purchase a cell phone for a child or minor in your household that you do not enable Internet access or access to content that is adult-oriented.
2) Check your cell phone bill: Review charges to your cell phone bill. Make sure that you are not being charged for packages or services you either do not need or did not sign up for. If you have a question about what services you have active on your phone(s), call your wireless carrier.
3) Get educated: Clergy should either call the Department of Internet Ministries with questions or research more information online at sites such as CNet’s Keeping Kids Safe Online, GetNetWise, ProtectKids, or SafeKids.com. Additionally, parishes should take an proactive role in conducting seminars for parents and GOYA members and even publishing Internet safety guides in their bulletins.
4) Talk about the issues: Talk about these issues with your children and even their friends’ parent. Even though you may be educated, parents of your child’s friends may not be; and they may have unknowingly given their children cell phones with access to pornography.
As the adoption of emerging technologies quickens, the challenges we confront as parents, clergy, and Christians will not only become greater, but they will also become more complex. For this reason, we must heed the Apostle Paul’s exhortation to comfort one another and edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11). If we stay grounded in the message and teachings of Scripture, then we will be able to confront and overcome whatever challenges may come before us.
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