Parents Need Technology to Curb Children's Excessive Use of Electronic Media

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- With the proliferation of electronic gadgets in the hands of young people, parents are finding it increasingly difficult to control how much electronic media their children consume. A recent survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that children 8-18 are now plugged into an electronic media device 7 1/2 hours a day on average and, through "media multitasking," are actually cramming almost 11 hours of media into those 7 1/2 hours. The same study also uncovered a correlation between heavy media use (16 hours per day) and lower grades in school (Cs or lower).

While parents may try to shut off the TV or confiscate cell phones and iPods, it's an entirely different challenge to impose limits on the same computers children must use to complete their homework assignments. In fact, the survey found that the most popular new activities contributing to increased online media use are visiting social networking sites, playing games, and streaming video content, as half of the young people surveyed said they use other media while doing their homework.

So how can parents keep their kids off Facebook, Hulu, YouTube, Twitter, and Skype when they should be doing homework? Perhaps the simplest and most effective way is picking up a device like the iBoss Home Web Filter, which gives parents complete control over every Internet-enabled device in the household, including laptops, desktops, PDAs, and even game consoles, without having to install and manage separate software on each individual device.

With the iBoss Web Filter's easy-to-use interface and built-in wireless router, parents can set limits on the amount of time spent online, the specific types of Web sites accessed, and the use of instant messaging programs. Recognized by iParenting Media Awards as an outstanding safety product the past two consecutive years, the iBoss Web Filter also helps protect children against online predators and content parents deem inappropriate.

"The iBoss Home Web Filter provides parents with the same advanced parental control technologies formerly available only to corporations, and it doesn't require that parents be trained as network administrators to operate it. Given the 24/7 availability of a seemingly infinite variety of online distractions and potential dangers, often geared toward attracting young people, the iBoss Home gives parents optimal control and peace of mind," says Peter Martini, COO of iBoss Web Filters.

The iBoss Home parental control routers are priced at $39 for the wireless G and $49 for the extended-range wireless N models and can be purchased at http://www.ibossfilters.com or one of its value-added resellers.

For more information, please contact Marisa Salzman, Director of Marketing, at 877-742-6832, x 7807, or [email protected].  

http://www.ibosswebfilters.com  

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SOURCE Phantom Technologies