Chennai: Parents worried about their children getting addicted to mobile phones
and tablets can relax. A Chennai-based entrepreneur has developed a mobile application ‘Knownets’ that allows parents to keep a tab on their children and especially the amount of time they spend with electronic gadgets.
The mobile application, which is available on Google Play Store that can be downloaded on any Android smartphone, would serve as a solution to save the younger generation from nomophobia (No Mobile Phobia) at a time when the hazardous Blue Whale game, mobile addiction and anxiety are claiming their lives.
The new application helps parents to control the duration and usage of mobile phones by their children and track their location precisely.
“Nowadays adolescent children spend more time with their smartphones. With fast and cheap Internet available, they are exposed to unwanted content and websites. Parents are not able to regulate their children.
Over-usage of mobile phones leads to change in sleeping patterns, anxiety, depression, isolation and more problems among them”, R Sachidanandam, creator of ‘Knownets’, told Deccan Chronicle.
The electronics and communications engineer says that parents can control their children's mobile phone at the touch of their smartphone.
“If a parent wants his son to go to bed at a particular time, he can lock the phone from his phone. The application will link the parent's mobile to the child's mobile. Further, the phone will lock automatically according to the time that has been set”.
“Also, a parent can monitor where his child goes, as the app will send notification of the location every 15 minutes. This feature will work regardless of whether the data (internet) in the child's phone is turned on or not”, he added.
Sachidanandam says he also faced stiff opposition from his children when he began monitoring their phones. At first, every child will fight with parents to uninstall but after a few days, they would be accustomed to the new routine. But the end result will help the child to get away from nomophobia, he said.
“Due to Google's privacy policy, the app would not spy on children about what they are watching or to whom they are speaking. But a parent can control the duration of usage. If schools persuade children into using this application, children will not throw tantrums at homes”, he urged.
What is ‘nomophobia’?
No Mobile Phobia (Nomophobia) is being scared of losing the use of mobile phone due to absence of signal or running out of minutes/ battery power . It leads to insomnia and change in sleeping patterns, anxiety, depression, restlessness, reduced academic or work performance, isolation from family, poor memory and inactive mind. ‘Nomophobia’ also causes early spinal cord and back pain problems.
