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While our tweens and tweens seem to grow into adults right before our eyes, their mobile usage matures into adulthood as well—and in many ways, we don’t see.
Girls and boys hit their mobile stride right about the same point in life, at age 15 where their mobile usage jumps significantly and reaches a level that they carry into adulthood, which is one of the several findings we uncovered in our global survey of parents, tweens, and teens this year.
So, what are tweens and teens up to on their mobile devices as they mature? And where do their parents fit in? We asked parents and kids alike. What we found gives us a look into the mobile lives of tweens and teens behind their lock screens.
For starters, parents and their kids alike say that their mobile device is the most important one in their life. Parents placed mobile in their top two with their mobile device or smartphone at 59% followed their computer or laptop at 42%. Tweens and teens put their mobile device or smartphone at the top of the list as well, yet at a decisive 74% worldwide, followed by their gaming console at 68%.
“Parents and their kids alike say that their mobile device is the most important thing in their life.”
Further, tweens and teens place a higher value on their smartphones to keep them connected with friends and family. Some 59% of parents said mobile was essential in this role, whereas tweens and teens put that figure at 64%. For parents, the runner-up device for keeping connected was the computer or laptop at 42%.
Yet quite interestingly, tweens and teens said their second-most important device for keeping connected with others is their gaming console, at 40%, perhaps indicating gaming’s role in creating and fostering friendships today. Of course, plenty of that gaming is happening on mobile as well, with half of all tweens and teens surveyed worldwide saying that they play games on their smartphones.
Broadly speaking, the activities kids do on their phones match up closely with what their parents think they’re doing on their phones. Yet there’s a fair share of secretive activity that happens within that.
Regarding general activity, parents and their tween- and teen-aged children worldwide see eye to eye when it comes to what parents think are their kids’ favorite activities on mobile are and what kids say they actually are:
However, and perhaps unsurprisingly, tweens and teens say they’ve kept some the things they’re watching, browsing, and streaming from their parents. When asked if they sometimes hide specific online activity from their parents, 59% of tweens and teens worldwide said they have done so in some form or other, including:
Worldwide, monitoring apps rank relatively low when it comes to parents keeping tabs on their children’s mobile usage. Use of parental controls software on smartphones came in at a 27% global average, with India (37%) and France (33%) leading the way, while Japan fell on the low end (12%).
Largely, parents appear to take up this work themselves, citing several other ways they take charge of their children’s time online:
Consistent with other research we recently gathered, families are relying on mobile more and more, yet this hasn’t seen an increase in mobile protection for the smartphones they count on.
Our research published in early 2011 found double-digit increases in mobile activities such as online banking, shopping, finances, and doctor visits, all of which can generate high-value data that are attractive to hackers and cybercriminals. Despite this newfound reliance on mobile, many smartphones worldwide remain unprotected. Children’s phones are less protected than their parents’ phones as well.
Taken together, these security lapses can lead to downloaded malware, data and identity theft, illicit crypto mining apps on the device, and other attacks that can put children and families at risk. For a deeper dive, you can view the full report.
Misconceptions about online protection may play a role in these lax measures. This survey found that 49% of parents think a new phone is more secure than a new computer, and 59% of tweens and teens thought the new phone was more secure—both denying the reality that smartphones, and the people using them, are subject to hacks and attacks just like with any other device that connects to the internet.
Amid this climate, more than 1/3 of families reported that a child in their household had been the victim of a financial information leak and 15% stated that there’d been an attempt to steal a child’s online account or identity. With smartphones providing children with a major onramp to the internet, it follows that stronger mobile security could help prevent such attacks from happening.
Protecting mobile devices and the family members who count on them takes on further importance when we consider that children in some nations rely heavily on their smartphones for online learning.
Although using mobile for online learning was relatively low globally at 23%, parents and children in three nations reported a high rate of attending classes and courses on mobile—with India at 54%, Mexico at 42%, and Brazil at 39%, once again posing the possibility that mobile offers many children the most reliable broadband connection required for such instruction. In other words, there are households where broadband comes by way of mobile, rather than a cable or fiber connection.
Meanwhile, other nations saw significantly lower figures for online learning on mobile, such as Germany at 7%, France at 8%, and Japan at 11%. The U.S., Canada, and the UK all reported rates of 17%.
“With smartphones providing children as a major onramp to the internet, it follows that stronger mobile security could prevent such attacks from happening”
Something we’ve yet to mention here is how much online shopping and banking kids are doing on their mobile devices. No question, tweens and teens are doing those things too at a global rate of 25% and 12% across all age groups respectively. Not surprisingly, those numbers climb as teens approach adulthood. This serves as a reminder that our children are maturing hand-in-hand with their smartphones, which asks a few things of us as parents as they grow and adjust to their mobile world.
As with all things parenting, there are moments of where you have a sense of what’s right for you and your child, yet you’re uncertain how to act on it. That’s definitely the case with smartphones and the internet in general. Despite having grown up alongside the internet over the course of our adult lives, we can still have plenty of questions. New ones. Old ones. Ones we weren’t even aware of until they cropped up.
With that, we’re glad you’re dropping by our blog. And you’re more than invited to visit whenever you can. A big focus of ours is providing you, as a parent, with resources that answer your questions, in addition to articles about online protection in general that simply make for good reading. Our aim is to help you think about what’s best for your family and give you some ideas about how you can see that through, particularly as our children grow in this mobile world of ours.
The post A Look Beyond Their Lock Screens: The Mobile Activity of Tweens and Teens appeared first on McAfee Blog.
If you pick up your teen’s phone on any given day, chances are the next stop you make will be Google. That’s because, if you’re like most parents, you’re beyond baffled by texting language kids use.
It’s okay, you are not alone if you feel out of the loop. As parents, we’re not invited to the party—and that’s okay. Slag belongs to the generation that coined it. And few of us are aching to use words like “sus” and “simp,” right? The goal of these updates isn’t to decode or invade. It’s digital parenting 101. The more we know about what’s going on in our child’s world, the better we can parent. It’s our job to know.
So once a year we do our best to decipher some of the more common terms you may hear or see your kids use. Keep in mind: Slang isn’t universal. It changes from city to city and culture to culture. Terms and meanings may vary. Many of the words are fun and harmless, while others are specifically meant to mask risky behavior. Remember, McAfee frees you to live your connected life safe from threats like viruses, malware, phishing, and more. Download award-winning antivirus that protects your data and devices today.
A real one. A person who is being authentic, genuine, trusted.
And I oop. A phrase used after a funny mistake or accident.
Awks. Short for awkward.
Baddie. Name for an independent female who is tough and beautiful.
Bands. Refers to bands around cash or a wealthy person. No doubt, the dude’s got bands.
Bet. A willingness to do something; means “yes” or “okay.”
Big yikes. When you see something, that is a huge embarrassment.
Booed up. To be in a romantic relationship.
Bop. A really good song. That song is such a bop!
Bread or Cheddar. Terms that refer to money.
Breadcrumbing. Sending flirtatious text messages to another person to get their attention but remain non-committal.
Bussin. Something is awesome. Her new hair color is bussin’.
Cake. When someone’s body looks good. The girl in my science class has cake.
Cancel. Reject or stop supporting a group or idea.
Cap. A term that means “lie” or “false.” He said we were a couple. Cap!
No cap. A phrase that means “no lie” or “for real” emphasizes telling the truth. I just saw him eat a bug. No cap!
CEO. A term used to describe something that you’re very good at, making you the CEO of it. I’m the CEO of being late to class.
Cheug. This term describes a person, idea, or situation that is outdated or inauthentic.
Clout. A term that relates to a person’s follower count, fame, or influencer status. Sometimes an expression for an extravagant way of living.
Chasing Clout. A term that describes a person who does and says things for the sole purpose of becoming more popular.
Curve. To reject someone romantically.
Cuffing. Wanting to date or cuff yourself to someone temporarily—at least until summer break.
Do it for the gram. A phrase that describes someone doing something for the sole purpose of posting online.
Drip. A term that describes someone’s style as sexy or cool. Zayne has some serious drip.
Facts. When you agree with someone.
Finsta. A second Instagram account used for sharing with a smaller circle of friends and followers.
Fish. Fishing for compliments.
Fit. Short for outfit.
Flex. To show off or show something off.
Get after it. Start with something with intensity.
Ghost. Suddenly stop all contact with someone online and in person.
Hundo P. Being 100% certain.
Hypebeast. A term that describes someone who cares too much about popular things rather than being self-aware and genuine.
I’m dead. Describes how you feel when something is hilarious.
I’m weak. Like, dead, describes how you feel when something is hilarious.
I can’t even. An expression used when you’ve had enough of someone or a situation.
Keep it 100. Stay true to yourself and stick to your values.
Lewk. Look.
Left on read. When someone does not respond to your text. He left me on read!
Lit. Cool or awesome.
Mood. A term used to express a relatable feeling or experience. Seeing that kid by himself kicking a can is such a mood.
Mutuals. People who follow and support one another on social media.
Oof. An expression used when something bad happens, and you don’t know how to respond.
Periodt. A term used to emphasize what you just said.
Purr. Expressing approval. I’ve got nothing but purr for my friends.
Receipts. Evidence to prove someone is either lying. Often in the form of screenshots, videos, or images.
Savage. A cool person or someone overly direct or candid.
Sketch. A sketchy or ominous situation, place, or person.
Skrrt. To leave quickly or get away from someone (the sound a car makes).
Ship. Short for relationship.
Simp. Used to describe a guy who is seen as being too attentive and submissive to a girl.
Sheesh. A term used to compliment someone when they look good or do something good.
Suh. A combination of “sup” and “huh” used as a greeting.
Sus. Short for suspect describing a situation, a person, or a claim. That guy is sus. Let’s get out of here.
Shawty. An attractive female. Sometimes a short, attractive female.
Sheee. An expression of disappointment, annoyance, or surprise.
Slaps. A term used when something is awesome. The DJ slaps.
Snatched. Describing a person or a thing that looks great. I’m jealous her makeup is so snatched.
Stan. A combination of “stalker” and “fan” refers to an overly obsessed fan of a celebrity.
Straight Fire or Fire. Describes something amazing. His new truck is straight fire.
Thumpin’. Word to describe someone going very. I didn’t even see him leave. He was thumpin’.
Vaguebooking. The act of posting vague Facebook or other social status updates for attention or as a cry for help. Wondering what the point of it all is anyway.
Whip. A word that means car. Have you seen his new whip?
Wig. When something has you so excited, your wig might come off; mind-blowing. The new Adele song!! WIIIIGGG!
Yeet. Throwing something out of rage. Also used as an exclamation for being excited.
NGL. Not Gonna Lie.
NMH. Nodding My Head; an expression of agreement.
NSA. No Strings Attached.
HWU. Hey, what’s up?
IYKWIM. If You Know What I Mean.
RLY. Really?
OG.Short for Original Gangster;a compliment for someone who is exceptional or authentic.
ORLY. Oh really?
SMH. Shaking My Head.
TFW. That Feeling When
TT2T. Too Tired to Talk.
L. Short for loose or loss.
V. Short for very.
W. Short for win. Their loss is our w.
WYA. Where are you at?
WYD. What are you doing?
YK. You’re Kidding.
YKTS. You Know the Score.
YKTV. You know the vibe.
Addy/Study Buddy. Terms used in place of the medication Adderal.
Break Green. A term that means to share marijuana with others.
Crashy. Combo of “crazy” and “trashy.”
Daddy. An attractive man, usually older, who conveys a sense of power and dominance.
Faded/Cooked. Terms used to describe being high on drugs.
Lit/Turnt Up. It can mean party or get drunk.
MOS/POS. Mom Over Shoulder; Parent Over Shoulder.
Kush/Flower/Gas. Terms used in place of marijuana.
Smash. To hook up for casual sex. Is he a smash or a pass?
Thirsty. Adjective for a person desperate for attention or sex.
Xan/Xans. Terms short for Xanax, a sedative used to treat anxiety. Also called xanny, beans, bars, and footballs.
ASL. Age/sex/location.
CD9. Can’t talk parents are here.
CU46. See You For Sex.
GALMA. Go Away Leave Me Alone.
GOMB. Get Off My Back.
GSW. Get Some Weed.
LMIRL. Let’s meet in Real Life.
KMS/KYS. Kill myself, Kill Yourself.
ONG. On God; a term that implies a person is serious enough to swear “on god.”
ONS. One Night Stand.
Spice or K2. Code for synthetic marijuana, which can be more harmful than actual cannabis.
URAL. You’re A Loser.
WWTP. Want to Trade Pics?
X or E. Letters that stand for ecstasy, otherwise known as “molly” or MDMA.
Zaddy. A well-dressed, attractive man of any age.
Zerg. A term that originated in the gaming community for gamers using the many against one strategy to win a game. A Zerg is a person who employs the same bullying tactics in real life. Stay away from him. He’s such a Zerg! Or Stay off that site. There’s too much zerging.
Protect your connected life today with McAfee Total Protection
*Content collected from various sources, including NetLingo.com, slangit.com, cyberdefinitions.com, UrbanDictionary.com, webopedia.com, and conversations on TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube.
The post Teen Slang and Texting Acronyms Parents Should Know appeared first on McAfee Blog.
It’s hard to believe, right, parents? In just a blink or two, you went from being the teenager dropping cool phrases like “rad” and “gnarly” to monitoring a teenager texting words like “lowkey,” “IRL” and “CD9” into her smartphone non-stop.*
For generations, teens have been crafting terms to differentiate themselves from other age groups. The difference today is that smartphone texting has multiplied the scope of that code to include words, emojis, numbers, and hashtags.
The times have changed, fo’ sho.’
You don’t have to speak your child’s language (please don’t). However, with new terms and risks emerging online each day, it’s a good idea to at least understand what they are saying.
Since kids have been spending more time online due to the pandemic, we thought we might discover a few new and interesting terms. We were right. We found stories of teens referring to the Coronavirus as “Miss Rona” and “Rona,” and abbreviating quarantine to “Quar.” A “Corona Bae” is the person you would only plan to date during a lockdown.
Much of the coded language kids use is meant to be funny, sarcastic, or a quick abbreviation. However, there are times when a text exchange can slip into risky territory. Seemingly harmless, text exchanges can spark consequences such as bullying, sextortion, privacy violations, and emotional or physical harm.
To help kids avoid dangerous digital situations, we recommend three things: 1) Talk early and often with your kids about digital risk and behavior expectations, 2) Explore and use parental monitoring software, and 3) Know your child’s friends and communities online and in real life.
Note: Context is everything. Many of these terms are used in jest or as casual banter. Be sure to understand the context in which a word is used.
Flex. This term means showing off. For example, “Look at her trying to flex with her new car.”
Crashy. Description of a person who is thought to be both crazy and trashy.
Clap back. A comeback filled with attitude.
Cringey. Another word for embarrassing.
Hop off. Mind your own business.
Spill tea or Kiki. Dishing gossip.
Sip tea. Listening to gossip.
Salty. Mad, angry, jealous, bitter, upset, or irritated.
“She gave me a salty look in class.”
Extra. Over the top or unnecessarily dramatic.
Left on read. Not replying to someone’s message.
Ghosting. Ending a friendship or relationship online with no explanation.
Neglext. Abandon someone in the middle of a text conversation.
Ok, Boomer. Dismissing someone who is not up to date enough.
(Throw) shade. Insult or trash talk discreetly.
Receipts. Getting digital proof, usually in the form of screenshots.
THOT. Acronym for That H__ Over There.
Thirsty. A term describing a person as desperate or needy. “Look at her staring at him — she’s so thirsty.”
Thirst trap. A sexy photograph or message posted on social media.
Dis. Short for showing blatant disrespect.
Preeing. A word that describes stalking or being stalked on Facebook.
Basic. Referring to a person as mainstream, nothing special. Usually used in a negative connotation.
Chasing Clout. A negative term describing someone trying too hard to get followers on social media.
9, CD9, or Code9, PAW, POS. Parents are around, over the shoulder.
99. All clear, the parents are gone. Safe to resume texting or planning.
KPC. Keeping parents clueless.
Cheddar, Cheese, or Bread. These are all terms that mean money.
Cap. Means to lie as in “she’s capping.” Sending the baseball cap emoji expresses the same feeling. No capping means “I’m not lying.”
Hundo P. Term that is short for “hundred percent;” absolutely, for sure.
Woke. Aware of and outspoken on current on political and social issues.
And I oop. Lighthearted term to describe a silly mistake.
Big oof. A slightly bigger mistake.
Yeet. An expression of excitement. For example, “He kissed me. Yeeeet!”
Retweet. Instead of saying, “yes, I agree,” you say, “retweet.”
Canceled. Absurd or foolish behavior is “canceled.” For example, “He was too negative on our date, so I canceled him.”
Slap or Snatched. Terms that mean fashionable or on point. For instance, “Those shoes are slap” or “You look snatched.”
And just for fun, here’s a laugh out loud video from comedian Seth Meyer’s on teen Coronavirus slang you’ll enjoy on YouTube.
* lowkey (a feeling you want to keep secret), IRL (In Real Life), CD9 also Code9 (Adult Alert used to hide secretive activity). ** Terms collected from various sources, including NetLingo.com, UrbanDictionary.com, webopedia.com, and from tweets and posts from teens online.
The post Can You Decode Your Teen’s Texting Language? appeared first on McAfee Blogs.
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