AT&T arms parents with Smart Limits

Telecom giant AT&T on Friday handed parents another tool for their parental control arsenal, designed to address those times when your teen, or tween, doesn't want to ask permission to download a bonanza of expensive games to their cell phone, or access a questionable Web site.

AT&T Smart Limits is a Web portal that includes information on how to control wireless purchases and online access, as well as tools to block Web sites that contain inappropriate content.

The site also dishes up information on various filtering, or channel blocking features, to TV programs or videos via services from AT&T companies. And on the home front, Smart Limits outlines wired phone features to block 900 and 976 numbers, unidentified callers and manage others calls.

Parents are becoming increasingly concerned about predators turning to the Internet and other technology to lure children into harmful situations. And, as a result, they are relying on such technology, as radio frequency identification tags (RFID), GPS devices and specially designed cell phones