Watch your kids' internet spending

Social-media agony aunt Amanda Brownlooks at bored kids spending their parents' money online and the benefits of social networking to your work

Dear Cybersorter,

I have just received my credit card bill and discovered my pre-teenage son has racked up €300 worth of debt by playing some online game.

Apparently you get “free” tokens to play the game but if you want to speed up the process, you can buy tokens with real money. The name on the credit card bill looks like some zappy internet name but is this possible?

AM

Dear AM

It is perfectly possible. There was a similar case three months ago where a boy in the UK racked up over £900 (€1,087) of credit card debt for his mum through buying game tokens.

This is a good opportunity to explain to your son:

1) Stealing mum’s credit card will land you with dish cleaning duty for two years – minimum (be grateful you’re not going to Borstal)

2) Borrowed money always has to be paid back – how does he propose reimbursing you €300?

3) It is incredibly easy to spend money, especially via credit card, online.

This is also a wake-up call to monitor your child’s internet activity. What and who else is he connecting to? Get online with your son and check out webwise.ie, a site that gives regularly updated information about children’s internet safety.

You can be cheered, though, by the knowledge that your son is a bit clever, but not devious enough for a true life of crime.

Dear Cybersorter,

I recently started a new job. Many of my colleagues are either mystified about, or don’t care, what I do, so I use Twitter as a support tool to bounce ideas off people in my field and to help people if I can.

One day, some news broke about a local celebrity. I mentioned it to someone in work and, much like on Twitter, the rumour spread through the office.

Someone asked how such a crazy rumour got started and I said: “Well, I started it. But it’s on Twitter.” They all had a good laugh; but I think they felt Twitter is not something you should admit to during work hours. Is it?

SB

Dear SB,

I once worked in an office where the boss would stalk through the open plan desks and, when he found two workers chattering, would shout “Oi! Do i pay you two to stand there blathering on about crap?”

The rest of the office was petrified and a tiny bit pleased, because they were talking rubbish – but only after resolving a work issue.

Good work relationships are seldom confined to discussions about work.

Social media, particularly Twitter, can be a great work resource, giving access to millions of experts who could easily be in the next digital cubicle. It also forces you to get to the point. No one can blather on in 140 characters.

Your problem is perception. Your colleagues are suspicious because they probably don’t understand what you do.

Next time you find a solution on Twitter, share it – and the source – with colleagues. “Finally figured out how to save a voicemail. @whoeversentyouthesolution on Twitter had the answer.”

Cyber Sorter's summer picks 

FIVE OXEGEN TWITTERERS

1) The Saw Doctors @sawdoctors

@StretfordEnders tweeted: “What the hell are Oxegen playing at? Eminem, The Prodigy, Mumford Sons The Saw Doctors all clash on Sunday night! : @NOT HAPPY!” The Saw Doctors replied: “@StretfordEnders would Eninem tweet you?”

2) Eminem @eminem

Typical tweet: “Thanks to everyone for coming out to the Redbull EmSee battle. I appreciate all the love New York. Yes I’m really typing this.”

3)Rachel Furner @Rachelfurner (2FM HotPress Academy Stage – Sunday night)

Typical tweet: “I AM AN ADULT OFFICIALLY YES BOYYYY”

4)Gabriella Cilmi @gabcilmi Typical tweet: “Ewwwwww early morning wake-up... Feel like I may vom!! Help!”

5) Ellie Goulding @elliegoulding

Typical tweet: “Just found an orgasmic space echo for our new track. We’re in heaven.”

APPS FOR OXEGEN

Oxegen iPhone App: free from iTunes. Interactive event planner, site map and friend finder.

Shazam: free from iTunes. Like that tune? Point your phone towards the music and it will tell you the song, band and album.

Tent Finder: €1.59 from iTunes. Switch on the app in your pitched tent. Tap on ‘Add Place’ name the location (My tent, Beer tent, etc) and take a pic of it. When returning tap ‘Find’ to bring up a map, compass and a directional line to follow.

Irish Weather: free from iTunes. Satellite imagery, three-day outlook and county-specific forecast.

Nokia Live Link: free from Ovi. Live updates from the Nokia stage.