ATLANTA, Feb. 28, 2024 – Cox Mobile http://www.cox.com/mobile, Cox
Communications’ mobile service available exclusively for Cox Internet
customers, released findings this week from its first survey, *Generation
Screen: Parenting and Mobile Safety*.
The survey uncovered an alarming correlation between location sharing and
“strangers” communicating with kids and teens through their mobile devices.
– 56% of parents said their children’s location sharing is turned on,
making their location publicly accessible across several mobile apps.
– 31% said their children have been contacted by a stranger on their
mobile device.
– Nearly one-third (28%) said the stranger referenced their child’s
location.
Despite parental vigilance, 73% of parents still say their children are
savvy at hiding their online activity. One in seven parents even admitted
to creating a fake social media account to keep an eye on their child’s
social media activity.
“Parenting today’s tech-savvy kids can be challenging. Many get their first
phone between the ages of 10 and 14, much earlier than other generations,”
said Mark Greatrex, president of Cox Communications. “While providing kids
with greater access to technology enables many positive connections and
benefits, the reality is that real dangers can exist just one tap or swipe
away. As our customers’ trusted connectivity provider, we are encouraging
digital literacy, educating families on the potential risks, and promoting
safer, informed use of these incredibly powerful connectivity tools.”
Cox Mobile’s findings complement similar stats from a 2023 research report
conducted by Common Sense Media <https://www.commonsensemedia.org/>, a
global nonprofit helping families navigate media, tech, and digital
parenting, uncovering that these risks are especially prevalent among young
girls. The *2023 Teens and Mental Health: How Girls Really Feel About
Social Media*
<https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/teens-and-mental-health-how-girls-really-feel-about-social-media>
report
showed more than 50% of girls ages 11 to 15 were contacted by a stranger
through social media apps.
“Even the most safety-conscious parents can overlook features like location
sharing, which in many cases is automatically turned on and can be
confusing to turn off,” said Jill Murphy, editor-in-chief and head of
distribution at Common Sense Media. “More intuitive app settings and
parental education can help mitigate this silent risk for kids.”
*Some Good News*
A large majority of parents surveyed said they prioritize their children’s
phone safety and have frequent conversations about risk prevention.
– 65% of parents discuss mobile device safety with their children
several times a week.
– 75% check screen time and text messages daily to a few times a week,
along with phone calls their children received (73%).
– 73% of parents are friends with their children on social media, and
64% interact with them through those channels.
*Other Key Findings:*
Cox Mobile’s ‘*Generation Screen: Parenting and Mobile Safety’* also
found:
– More than half of parents believe the use of social media apps
elevates safety risks for kids, yet 60% say their child has them on their
phone.
– Cyberbullying is among the top three things keeping parents up at
night.
– Parents are most concerned about their children encountering predatory
or inappropriate behavior (39%) and content (23%) on their phones.
For more data points from *Generation Screen: Parenting and Mobile Safety,
a Cox Mobile Survey*, and tips and resources for parents visit
www.coxmobilesafety.com
*About Cox Communications*
Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human
connection through technology. As the largest private broadband company in
America, we operate fiber-powered networks in more than 30 states,
providing connections and advanced managed IT and cloud services for nearly
seven million homes and businesses nationwide. We’re dedicated to
empowering others to build a better future and celebrate diverse products,
people, suppliers, communities and the characteristics that make each one
unique. Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a
family-owned business founded in 1898 by Governor James M. Cox.