But you do summarise that this sort of mobile feature will be a panacea to the problem.

“It is only simple measures such as the SOS Messaging which make some of the biggest differences to one

I understand you point here, and it's completely valid. But at the same time it does have benefits.

For example, “happy slapping” – that started out as simply slapping someone round the face and filming it. Now it's seriously harming people. Would it be so bad if the police were to be called on that occasion?

Or how about an experience I was part of, in the park with my friends and brother and a group of boys who don't like me start attacking my brother. Getting beaten up and so fourth. Me calling the police on that occasion quite possibly ensured he had nothing worse than some bruised ribs, broken nose and black eye. He was one against six, and I dread to think of what could have happened.

So yes, it does have it's downsides, which I accept is some occasions will not be the most ideal tool. However, in some cases it does prove useful.

Samantha.

What I was trying to say was that this kind of thing has happened before, maybe worse, maybe to the same extent, and it's still happening and continuing to happen.

And the happiness side doesn't come into it at all. Bullying in schools still happens, and I've had it, I see and I know when I return in September I will also be seeing it too.

I don't read the tabloids, because I know they are only worth as much as toilet paper really. I can ask you now, do you have to sit in assemblys listening to your head teacher or so talking about another Year 7 who was mugged on the way home from school? Or, about a new wave of bullying?

This isn't about public safety or fear of crime. It's the reality I, and thousands of other school children have faced, and will continue to face.

Samantha.

No, no ,no, no. A thousand times no.

Children are safer now than_they_have_ever_been. I recall getting on the wrong side of a bunch of much larger kids at school (might have had something to do with the fact my mum put them all on detention – she was their form teacher). Got duffed up a bit. Was moderately terrified as a 13-yr old. This was over 20 years ago, ahem, before you were born. Yesteryear was not all rosy, children got abducted, murdered, abused etc just as often in more or less any previous generation. Humanity's prevalence to do harm to each other has not changed fundamentally, except because most are happier/wealthier now there's less reason to go out & mug someone.

To hear a 16-year old come out with a Daily Mail / Sun-type statement that intuits that kids are somehow worse off now than previous reflects what a sterling job the UK media has done in scaring people unnecessarily, and just doesn't bear scrutiny.

Most people are quite happy, and feel their community is safe (numerous surveys), but think everyone else is unhappy and at risk.You can't have both. Personal experience is just that, and doesn't make a national reality, unless all you do is read tabloids.

Agree 100% with Michaelob, Samsung have effectively thrown a hand-grenade over the wall of child-parent safety concerns and then run off.

/m

If you are dealling with really bad people nothing will help. In stressful moments when you want reassurance or someone to advise you out of a sticky situation suddenly getting a phone call might be very handy.

Although yes, having a distraught parent ringing up after they have misunderstood the message would be highly annoying, and probably remove all need for the device.

Samantha.

What would that alert 'do' though — does it, for example, send a text message to your mum saying 'help'? Surely the first thing mum would do is then phone you…? Could be useful… could be rather annoying if you're trying not to get phonejacked.