mobilesecurity.com [London, UK] It’s back to school time again, and despite a natural reluctance to return to the classroom, pupils are keen to catch up with friends and share their news from the summer break. Marian Merritt, Norton Internet Safety Advocate, offers some essential tips for parents who might be sweetening the deal by getting their kids new cell phones or even a first cell phone as part of the school preparations.

1.       Set a password on the phone to lock the keypad and screen when not in use.

2.       Set up parental and emergency contacts on the phone, and show your child how to access them.

3.       Review school cell phone policy with your child.

4.       Discuss not clicking links or replying to unknown callers or text messages.

5.       Set rules for selecting, purchasing new apps and games.

A smartphone can be a lifeline to safety, a gaming device and an educational tool, and we all have a responsibility to make sure children understand the right way to use these devices. Read all ten tips on Marian’s full article on the Ask Marian page at Norton.com, and find time to sit down and discuss the topic with your children. Let’s all help youngsters understand that smartphones can be great fun when they pay attention to a few simple rules.