Carphone Warehouse, in a partnership with Samsung, is about to launch four new anti-bullying handsets. The mobile phones are supposed to block bullying texts sent to children and will also send a SOS message to parents. They are a reaction to the surging wave of so-called cyber-bullying where victims are harassed via text messages.
The new devices allow for up to 10 numbers to be blocked, which can be added or removed as wished. The SOS feature provides additional security because it allows the user to call for help. With four clicks on the volume button a help alert is sent to up to five numbers like parents, family of friends.
The aim is to provide both parents and children with a higher level of safety – especially in cases of emergency. Many experts already praised the handsets as an important step towards diminishing cyber-bullying. A recent study revealed that especially girls are susceptible to harassment over the phone with nearly 20% of girls aged 15 to 17 and 8% of girls aged 11 to 14 having been threatened via their handsets.
Additionally the four devices also include a Mobile Tracker which can be used to track lost or stolen handsets. If the existing SIM card is removed or replaced, a message is sent to a pre-set number containing the new telephone number of the unauthorised owner and the unique IMEI code of the phone which can then be blocked by the network.
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Can the SOS be sent to all Mobile handsets, or are there some that are not compatible with this service?