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The mobile phone industry has recently developed new rules which give parents more control over what their children can see and receive when they own a mobile phone. For example, some mobile companies will filter internet content and make sure adult content and services are not available for children. However to do this, the operator needs to know you're buying the phone for a child, so let them know this when you register your new phone.

You might also want to give them a call before buying the phone and ask them what tools they can provide to keep your child safe. And to get you started, Childnet has a checklist of questions that you can ask the mobile phone company when buying a phone for a child.

Visit our Info Centre if you want to read the checklist.

If by mistake you have signed up to a service on your phone where you are paying to receive text messages, for example for ringtones or football updates, and you do not want to continue, then a helpful tip is to send the word ‘STOP’ back to the sender of the message.

This should end the service and your payments to it. If it doesn’t, then it’s time to ask for more help, so why not look at the Report section.