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AT&T Researching Methods Of Disabling Teens' Phones While Driving

Thu, 08/16/2012 - 4:46pm

Control versus autonomy.  Age old but interesting debate in the age of technology.  Interestingly enough, many people Tweeted back us on this leaping over the teen issue and going right for such observations as, "how long before the government gets a hold of this and uses it on general people."  It may be about looking more deeply into issues before just promptly agreeing with them or not when it comes to technology and control, privacy and more. Intent is also interesting to note below.  Many think it's about being "responsible" while others see it as perhaps some kind of punishment or authority rule.  But given that Pew Research Center has shown that millennials are far more tech savvy than any generation previous, might they just figure out a way around all this in the future similar to how most have figured out how to unlock phones that were never intended to be unlocked.  Sociologist Donna Gaines has noted that many issues with teens are actually symptoms of larger cultural disorder.  Hmmmm... Ponder that one.

AT&T's new 'It Can Wait' campaign promotes the idea that no text message is worth a life. CEO Randall Stephenson's company is working on smartphone technology, apps, car systems, and a cellular device to enable parents to deactivate text messaging and calling while their son or daughter is on the road. Teens are conscious that this practice is dangerous, yet persist, and this has led Stephenson to take immediate action. But what are consumers thinking - is tracking and (de)activating your child's phone too much, or just right?

What Others Are Saying...

Smart...if a person is not responsible enough to the simple precept that this is dangerous, then this makes perfect sense.

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...if the parent pays for the phone, car, and the insurance, then the parent has every right (and responsibility) to use the proposed app to be responsible for the child...I would rather that the child be angry with me than I would have to go to his/her funeral.

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This is a band aid, not a solution...what's next, disable their car if they are parked near a bar or a night club?

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