Using mobile phones responsibly In Spain, the mobile phone is by far the most widespread technology, but not everyone engages with wireless communication in the same way. As is the case with almost all new technology, it is young people who use mobiles the most, with the level of usage decreasing across older age groups.

This is according to figures from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE), which show that mobile use is also starting to spread among children. Almost 6 out of 10 under-14s have a handset. From 16 years of age onwards, there is a leap in use. In the 16-24 age group, the overwhelming majority use a mobile, to the extent that only 2% do not. From this peak, the curve starts to tail off. At first the fall is only very slight -- 96.3% of 25-34 year-olds and 93% of 35-44 year-olds use a mobile -- and then the curve steepens from 45 onwards. Usage is at its lowest amongst the over-65s, less than a half of whom have a mobile phone.

Given this situation, it is important that we all take care to use the device properly so that it is not just another symbol of the consumer society and instead can offer services that have a positive impact on the development of users, in particular teenagers and children. There are genuine risks of irresponsible use: according to a study by NGO Protégeles based on 2000 surveys carried out with minors aged 11-17 who have a mobile phone, 9% confess to having received pornographic images, 7% say they have chatted with strangers and 18% admit they have felt harassed through their wireless device. At the same time, it is increasingly common to receive unwanted messages, or spam. Particularly worrying are messages that encourage people to take part in competitions and casino-style games. In this regard, 72% of children say they have received SMSs inviting them to take part in prize draws or gambling. A further area of concern is inappropriate use of mobiles in classrooms, which has generated opposition among the education community due to their connection to confrontations between students or their use during class time, resulting in them being banned while teaching takes place. Another significant statistic is that 25% of minors spend more than €20 per month on their mobile, with 18% spending between €20 and €40 and 7% saying their monthly outlay is in excess of €40.

Nevertheless, mobile operators in Spain have already set about marketing mobile telephony solutions to the very youngest, with features ranging from dedicated handsets - with a tracker so that parents know where they are, reverse charge service so that children can call even without credit, and a system for restricting calls and messages - to filtering services and restricted use of broadband content. In this area, parental control software developers and mobile operators are working together to provide families with tools and prevent some of the dangers mentioned above.  At present, these systems are at an advanced stage and in widespread use in countries like France and the UK, where the solutions on offer include the option not only to prevent downloading of pornography, but also to restrict sending and reception of SMSs and MMSs based on the time or the day, reject unwanted SMSs, manage web/WAP content by using categories, or prevent purchases from being made or votes placed in competitions.

However, in addition to the technological route, it is important to continue promoting campaigns aimed at raising awareness amongst parents and educators on the need to provide children with a set of basic rules on safe and appropriate use of the handset, as well as explaining how it can be useful as an educational tool, placing particular emphasis on preventing more problematic situations. To this end, we make these five recommendations:

1. Inform to educate: Educating children on use and abuse of the mobile phone requires parents and teachers to have prior knowledge of the tool, its jargon and what it is capable of doing, along with an interest in new technology. Mobile phone sales outlets and organisations involved in protecting the rights of minors, such as the Spanish INSAFE node and NGO Protégeles, can provide orientation. This is the best way to follow the child's learning.
2. Establish certain rules for use: Use of the mobile must be bound by clear rules that are accepted and agreed on, both at home and in the classroom. On this issue, you must analyse and communicate when and in what situations its use is or isn't appropriate.
3. Consider the child's age: The rules of use for a mobile phone must take into account the age and maturity of the child. An 11 year-old is not capable of acting with the same level of maturity as a teenager. Nevertheless, maturity does not depend on age alone. Various criteria can be used to judge how responsible a minor is without supervision, such as how quickly they use up their credit, how long they use the phone for or the times of day they use it.
4. Operators are the best consultants: Some mobile network operators already offer specific solutions for minors in their packages: adapted phones with restrictions on calls and messaging (the user can only call and send SMSs to preset phone numbers); reverse charge systems; configuration of what times of day the phone can be used; and restricted access to adult content using integrated parental control systems from the same operator.
5. Report if necessary: If you think your child or any other young person could be at risk, you should contact the relevant authorities or Protégeles (www.protegeles.com), which is dedicated to promoting safe Internet content.