11 cell phone etiquette rules for teens (printable poster)

Getting a cell phone is a big deal for any teen or tween. But the world of cell phones has its own set of rules that everyone should know. That’s why I’ve compiled eleven essential cell phone etiquette rules that are helpful for teens, tweens and adults alike. Plus, you can print an awesome reference poster of appropriate cell phone behavior too. Check it out!

I work with a lot of teenagers from my local church. Most of them start getting their own cell phone around 11 or 12 years old. Some of them are very polite with their phones while have pretty poor cell phone etiquette. Sometimes, all these teenagers need is someone to explain to them what is acceptable behavior when it comes to a mobile phone. Here are some simple rules of cell phone etiquette.

#1: Talk quietly in public on your phone

When you are in public places such as a grocery store or public transportation, it is polite to speak quietly when you are on a phone call. No one wants to hear the juicy gossip that happened at lunch. Even if it is an important call, do not turn on your speaker or do a video call when you are talking to someone. It can be very loud and intrusive. Put in ear buds if you are listening to music or a podcast or watching a video in public spaces. You can also follow the 10-foot rule and give people their personal space.

#2: Think twice about the photos you send

Be tasteful when sending photos to others, especially on social media. If you’re wondering if a particular photo is appropriate, just remember, when in doubt, don’t send it. Any photo sent to someone will forever remain in cyber space and could come back to haunt you later. It’s called sextortion.

#3: Don’t be a phone zombie

Control your phone. Don’t let it control you. This is a good phone etiquette rule to live by for good reason. Throughout the day, if you find yourself interacting with your phone more than people, make a change. The right was to do this is to aim for 2 hours or less of screen time on your phone per day.

#4: Be respectful on group chats

Nothing is worse than being stuck on an irrelevant group chat all day long. This is one of my pet peeves. As a good rule of thumb, only reply on group chats if it applies to the entire group. Otherwise, send a separate individual text to the person who you want to talk to.

#5: Be present

When you are in a small group setting with friends, classmates or family or other social situations, put your phone away and give everyone your undivided attention. Be present, otherwise it’s just plain rude. This is particularly important when you on talking one-on-one with someone. If you’re constantly looking at your phone, that person is going to assume you are not that interested in talking to them. This also includes when you are sitting at the dinner table. If you have to talk on your phone during social gatherings, excuse yourself and find a secluded area or quiet place.

#6: Texting quiet time

If you are asking yourself, “Is it too late to text this person?”, then it probably is. As a general rule, it is best to avoid texting or calling someone between the hours of 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. Not everyone remembers to silence their phone at night and it’s never fun to be woken up by an unwelcome text message. Just use common sense.

#7: Don’t text and drive

This is obvious to most cell phone users, but I am the biggest culprit. Never drive and use your phone as the same time. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. Pull over if you really need to look at your phone. It is incredibly rude and dangerous to put all of the lives of your passengers in jeopardy so you can catch up on your Facebook feed.

#8: Don’t touch other people’s mobile devices

Tweens and teens are the worst at this. My kids always want to use my phone. But even when you are with friends, people’s phone are their private property. Don’t touch anyone’s phone without their permission. It is bad manners.

#9: Follow the three C’s of texting

Polite text conversations are just as important as polite face-to-face conversations. Follow the three C’s of texting:

No caps
No cussing
No crude language

If you are texting with all capital letters, that implies that you are yelling at the person you are texting. Also, don’t text anything that you wouldn’t say to someone’s face.

#10: Don’t forget the 24-hour rule

Have you ever texted someone and they seem to never text you back? Out of respect for the person texting you, try to respond to voicemails and text messages within 24 hours. Preferably, just respond immediately so you don’t forget. Of course, there are times when people purposely don’t reply to someone’s text, but that’s a different story.

#11: Silence your phone

There are certain situations where it is ALWAYS necessary to put your phone on silent mode. Although there are quite a few on the list, here’s some of the big ones:

Movie theaters
School
Church
Funerals
Job interviews
Business meeting
Library
Restaurant

In addition, don’t check your phone during scenarios either. Unless it is an emergency call, it can wait.

Download your printable cell phone etiquette poster

Where these cell phone etiquette tips helpful? I hope so. If you thought of any other new rules for cell phone manners, please include them in the comments below. If you would like to purchase and download a helpful cell phone etiquette poster that sums up everything discussed above, just click on the link below:

Cell Phone Etiquette Poster