Chain texts seem quick and easy to pass on, but can be frightening to the young people at whom they are mostly aimed. Berna Cox asks where they start and what should be done
If you've had one of these text messages recently (and there are a few doing the rounds at the moment), welcome to the 21st-century version of the chain letter. The technology might be more advanced than the old-fashioned snail mail but the principle is the same - can you be guilt-tripped into compliance? Will something bad happen if you don't obey? Do you have the courage to ignore it and hit delete? Are you a bad person if you do?
Like chain letters of old, chain texts prey on the recipient's good nature, innocence and vulnerability. Unlike the old hard-copy letters, though, that demanded time and effort to forward, texts are instant and easy. And it is, accordingly, the text generation who are targeted. And it costs them - both in terms of the pressure to comply and, of course, the cost of their phone credit.
Where do chain texts start? It would be an almost impossible task to trace them to source. They don't really fall into the category of unsolicited communication because they will most likely be sent to you by a friend. (Were they sent from an unknown source making a commercial offer of some description, there is recourse via Comreg, the Commission for Communications Regulation and the Data Protection Act.)
The cynical claim that only the mobile phone companies benefit and the notion that they might be in some way instrumental in originating these messages is strongly refuted by the three mobile carriers in this country. They are horrified at the suggestion and would advise customers never to get involved in any kind of chain communication.
To suggest that these messages might be instigated by mobile companies is "claptrap", according to Cara Twohig, consumer manager with Vodafone. "There is no way we would ever involve ourselves," she adds.
Andrew Kelly, director of corporate affairs with Meteor is equally adamant. "Absolute nonsense," he says. The mobile carriers, he adds, opened up the networks to charities and facilitated free texts to assist with fundraising. To say that networks are involved in establishing chain messages is, he says, "beyond the bounds of credibility".
Speaking for O2, Emma Hynes states categorically that they have absolutely "no part to play" in the origination of these messages.
Some theories suggest that the messages are started by people who are just curious to see how far it will go and how many times they'll receive it back. And the messages are designed to be extremely emotive and worrisome for their young recipients. They do not categorically state that something bad will happen if the chain is broken (although some do) but the heartstrings are tugged and superstition and guilt take over.
A recent message circulating referred to the late Robert Holohan who was, at the time, missing. Recipients were asked to light a candle and say a prayer and to pass the message on at least five times. The message claimed that Robert's sister was the originator. Emotive stuff. Another was regarding the victims of the tsunami - again, light a candle say a prayer and pass it on.
Helen Sholdice is a parent/child coach based in Dublin and says that parents should be aware that their child's mobile phone is not a toy. Children should be encouraged, she says, to check with their parents about the content of messages they receive and parents in turn, she adds, should not be afraid to tell their children to "break the chain".
Jim Jackman is vice president of the National Parents Council (Post-Primary) and is familiar with the trend of chain texts. His own children have received them. "They dump them," he says. The tone of some messages is not overly threatening or intimidating but some can be quite frightening to young minds.
In relation to chain texting, he says, "the NPC would be very concerned at this most recent development. We would encourage children to text more than talk as it cuts down on excessive radiation into developing tissue. However, we would encourage children who receive such chain texts to dump them as soon as they receive them, no matter what the content and what the source. We would encourage parents' associations around the country to discuss the problem and issue guidelines to parents."
Parents might like to view The Knowledge - A Parent's Guide to Mobile Phones published by the ICIA (Irish Cellular Industry Association, an alliance of the mobile operators), Meteor, O2 and Vodafone, and the mobile handset manufacturers Nokia and Siemens. The ICIA is affiliated to the Telecommunications and Internet Federation, which is part of ICT Ireland, the voice of technology within IBEC.
