Japan panel seeks to limit children's use of mobile phone

BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhuanet) -- A Japanese government panel called on parents and schools to help limit the use of mobile phones by children to prevent them from accessing "harmful" information on websites, media reported Tuesday.

While about a third of Japanese primary school students aged 7-12 use mobiles, by the time they get to high school that figure rises to 96 percent, according to a government survey last December.

There are fears for students' safety as only about one percent of them have blocks on potentially harmful material, meaning they could reveal personal information, making them prey for fraudsters and paedophiles.

The advisory council on education made the proposal as children become more prone to crimes involving dating websites and bullying on Internet school bulletin boards.

The panel said it would urge "parents, schools and other people concerned to cooperate in preventing elementary and junior high school students from using mobile phones unless it is necessary."

It called for limiting mobile phone use just to calls.

These measures are necessary to "protect children from harmful information and other negative influence involving the use of mobile phones" including "crimes and bullying," the report said.

The government will take the proposals into consideration in working out its policy guidelines next month.

(Agencies)