Mobile phone use by minors has become one of the main concerns for many parents. The age at which children access their first mobile phone continues to decline in Spain, where, according to a UNICEF report, the majority of children obtain their first device before they turn eleven. This situation poses important challenges, since unsupervised access to social networks and the Internet can lead minors to be vulnerable to risks such as cyberbullying, network addiction or mental health problems, among others.
Faced with this problem, countries like Australia have begun to implement drastic measures to control minors’ access to social networks. Recently, the country proposed prohibiting children and adolescents from accessing these platforms, in order to reduce the risks associated with their premature and inappropriate use. These initiatives seek to create a safer environment, although they also open the debate on whether there are less restrictive methods that allow minors to enjoy the benefits of technology safely.
In Spain, Orange—MasOrange Group—has taken a step forward by launching an innovative parental control solution for the use of the first mobile phone. with your service Yoursthe telecommunications company offers parents a tool to monitor their children’s device use, with advanced features that allow you to set usage time limits, block inappropriate content, and locate the device, all in an accessible and customizable way.
The reality of the first mobile
Having a first mobile phone is often, in many cases, inevitable for parents who want their children to communicate and develop digital skills, even though it is a tool that should be used with caution and supervision. The solution Yours by Orange has been designed in collaboration with Empantallados so that parents can provide their children with a safe first contact with technology, without the need to adopt extreme measures like the one proposed in Australia.
‘TúYo’: control and supervision in a single solution
The Orange service wants to be the first in Spain to comprehensively respond to the main concerns of parents when minors access their first device.
The parental control option offers a app so that all members of the family nucleus are clear from the beginning about the use that minors are going to make of their mobile phone. Through it you can access the following functionalities:
Use time limits. It allows parents to set limits on the daily use time of the device, so that the child does not spend more time with the mobile than recommended. They can even block navigation at night.
Management and control of web content. Parents can activate filters that restrict access to applications and websites inappropriate for their children’s age.
Device location. This functionality gives parents the ability to know the location of the device at all times, with defined safety zones (geofencing), among other features
Panic button to notify in case of emergency.
The company proposes an intermediate approach between digital supervision and the freedom of minors, which allows parents to teach responsible habits for using technology. This tool also opens a channel of dialogue between parents and children about the responsible use of the mobile phone, since the application includes a pact between children and parents that, through the symbolic signature of both, establishes a relationship of commitment and trust in the use. of technology.
Three levels of security
The service Yours offers three contracting modalities: Initial YouSelf, YouMe Middle and Advanced YouMewhich adjust to the development and needs of each child. The modality Initial You, Available for 10 euros per month, it allows daily use of up to 3 hours of internet, with options to select the appropriate times and limit mobile access during rest hours. By default, it blocks applications and websites not recommended for minors, such as social networks or dating, adult, gambling and online shopping applications. The other modalities increase the hours of use and access to content to facilitate a constructive and responsible relationship with technology.
Additionally, parents can opt for a package exclusive to Orange that includes a smartphone in installments, accompanied by accessories designed for the little ones, such as a screen protector, case and headphones, as well as an educational card game designed for family learning.
Commitment to family safety
As part of its initiatives to support the responsible use of technology, MasOrange and its brands have been promoting different awareness projects for years. one of them is FamilyONan Orange platform to create family learning moments around technology. And, along with it, the campaign For a Love use of technology offers practical advice for parents to teach their children how to use technology constructively.
The campaign was launched by the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) and UNICEF Spain More than a Mobile aimed precisely at offering families the keys they should take into account before giving a device to their minors, a campaign that had the collaboration of Orange and Yoigo. Now, MasOrange goes one step further to reaffirm its position as the operator most concerned about the safety of young people when they use a mobile phone and launches Yours.
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