Mobile phone safety
Mobiles are a great way to keep in touch with your mates. If someone you don't know gets in touch with you on your mobile, or if you are being bullied through your phone, you should tell someone who can help you, or call ChildLine.
Mobiles are a great way to keep in touch with your mates by calling them, texting or sending photo or video messages. Just like staying safe online, it's a good idea to know what to do if you start being bullied through your mobile, or if someone you don't know contacts you.
Mobile Phone Safety Tips
- Keep your phone with you at all times. If you are worried about someone taking it at school or if you are out, leave it at home.
- Only give your mobile number to your friends and people that you trust.
- Don't lend your phone to someone you don't know or trust, or put it in a place where other people could get hold of it.
- Most phones allow you to lock your phone with a PIN code. If you don't have the code you can't unlock it, so if anyone steals your phone they won't be able to use it.
- If someone is pressuring you into giving them your number, tell someone about it such as a teacher or a parent.
- If you have Bluetooth on your phone, keep this switched off when you are not using it.
What can I do if someone is bullying me through my mobile?
It's now quite easy for mobile phone companies to trace the identity of anyone who is sending nasty or abusive text messages. If you are being bullied and receiving nasty or threatening language on your mobile tell an adult, like a parent or teacher, who can help you put a stop to this.
All UK mobile companies are used to dealing with nusiance calls and have people you can call who can help you deal with this.
- Don't reply to any nasty messages you receive.
- Keep the messages that you have been sent so you can show someone.
- Don't answer any calls that are from a withheld number, or from a number you don't know.
- Change your mobile number and only give your new number out to close friends.
- If the problem is serious, tell the Police.
Mobile phone operators can't bar a particular number from contacting another phone, but you can do this on some handsets. Check your phone handbook to see if yours can. They can only take action about the bully's account, such as blocking it, if the police are involved.
Numbers to call if you want to report mobile phone bullying
O2: ncb@o2.com or 0870 521 4 000.
Vodafone: 191 from a Vodafone phone or 0870 070 0191 for Pay Monthly customers and 0870 077 6655 for Pay as you Go.
3: Call 333 from a 3 phone or 0870 733 0333.
Orange: Call 450 on an Orange phone or 07973 100 450
for Pay as you Go, or 150 or 07973 100 150 for Pay Monthly.
T-Mobile: Call 150 on a T-Mobile phone or 0845 412 5000.