CTIA Announces GrowingWireless.com

Today, we announced the launch of our new wireless responsible use and safety campaign called “Growing Wireless.” Through our new website www.GrowingWireless.com, CTIA and The Wireless Foundation are helping parents and caregivers to ensure kids use wireless technology responsibly. GrowingWireless.com is a great platform to highlight CTIA and our member companies’ commitment to responsible wireless use among kids with stakeholders and policymakers.

GrowingWireless.com offers easy-to-understand information and tips for parents on how to handle issues such as cyberbullying, sexting and privacy; links to CTIA’s member companies’ parental management tools; and CTIA and its members’ online safety, policy and education initiatives. Specifically, GrowingWireless.com helps parents to:

• Be Aware – Explains and offers tips to help parents understand cyberbullying, sexting, privacy and responsible use.
• Learn & Engage – Identifies the steps parents should take to keep their kids safe and responsible wireless users, including sample family rules, links to CTIA member companies’ parental management tools and an overview of the CTIA Mobile Application Rating System with ESRB.
• Talk & Share – Allows parents the opportunity to talk and share tips with other parents about how they handled their kids’ wireless use and provides a place for parents to submit questions to CTIA’s online safety experts.
• Understand Policy – Reviews the current policies, voluntary initiatives and best practices offered by CTIA and its member companies to help parents manage, monitor and control how their kids use wireless.
• Get the Facts – Offers up-to-date information about kids’ wireless usage and research and studies to help parents make informed decisions using the latest data. In addition, a glossary of key terms helps parents understand wireless industry terminology.

Additional features and materials will be added to “Growing Wireless” as part of our continuing effort to promote responsible wireless use and we plan to translate GrowingWireless.com into Spanish by September.

In the press release, Maryland Attorney General and National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) President Douglas F. Gansler said, "The wireless world increases opportunities for our children to connect and learn, but also increases their exposure to bullies, identity thieves, predators and other threats. We are pleased that the CTIA is taking steps to provide parents with information about these online risks and practical tools to help them empower their children to navigate the wireless world safely and responsibly."

As the NAAG President, General Gansler announced that this year's Presidential Initiative will focus on online safety and privacy. We look forward to working with General Gansler and other policymakers on this important initiative.