Category: Bad Phone Behavior

When people use good phones in bad ways.

Dear Smartphone: Teen in Car

DEAR MS. SMARTPHONE: I AM THE MOTHER OF A TEEN AGE BOY. HE GOT HIS DRIVER’S LICENSE LAST YEAR. I LET HIM USE MY CAR ON WEEKENDS AND WHEN HE GOES ON A DATE. I JUST RECEIVED A TEXT MESSAGE THAT HE PROBABLY MEANT TO SEND TO HIS FRIENDS. I AM FAIRLY SURE HE WAS ON THE ROAD WHEN HE SENT IT. Worried Sick, Sacramento

Dear Worried Sick: You have reason to be concerned and as a responsible parent you must take action. Teenagers have a high accident rate than any other age group. In the U.S. in 2015, 2,333 teens ages 16–19 were killed and 235,845 were injured by a vehicle crash.

You could install an app that will shut off his phone when he drives. Here is a list of apps that Verizon posted, and most of them work on either an Continue reading “Dear Smartphone: Teen in Car”

Dear Smartphone: Sneaky Backpack

DEAR MS. SMARTPHONE: MY BOYFRIEND AND I ARE BOTH IN TENTH GRADE. HE HAS A SECRET PHONE SEWN INTO HIS BACKPACK AND DURING CLASS HE WILL OPEN UP A FLAP AND BROWSE IT.  IF THE TEACHER COMES BY HE CLOSES THE FLAP UP. SHOULD I REPORT HIM TO THE TEACHER? From Gabby, Stockton.

Dear Gabby: It is going to be difficult to confront your boyfriend, but if you care about your relationship you need to do this. You don’t want to have a friend you cannot trust. Tell him that you do not respect the fact that he is hiding the phone from the teachers. He may be hiding other things too.

Dear Smartphone: Streaking Freaking

DEAR MS.SMARTPHONE: I AM 15 YEARS OLD. I AM A GOOD STUDENT AND ONLY USE MY PHONE WHEN I FINISH MY HOMEWORK. MY BOYFRIEND AND I HAD A STREAK THAT LASTED FOR 69 DAYS. BUT THEN HE STOPPED AND DID NOT TELL ME. I AM SICK OVER THIS AND WHEN I SEE HIM AT SCHOOL HE JUST LOOKS AWAY. Jesse, San Jose.

Dear Jesse: It’s great that you know when and how to use your phone responsibly. Lots of kids your age enjoy streaks, but they are so new that there are not rules for users. Companies like Snapchat  use social methods to keep your post going.  Most likely, this boy broke up with you in a cowardly way. You will never know for sure though unless you ask him what’s going on. That said, he sounds like the kind of person you do not want to call a friend. Consider moving on.