In today’s workplace, constant innovation makes it critical for employees to keep up with the latest technologies and applications. Want to excel at your job and lay the groundwork for future promotions?
Check out these five e-courses from LinkedIn Learning, part of the LinkedIn platform. Each course is available for a monthly site membership fee, with no extra costs necessary. I have been a loyal user of both LinkedIn Learning and its predecessor Lynda.com for over ten years and can personally attest to the quality of their educational offerings. So, with instruction on the blockchain, cloud computing, UX, and more, these five courses will help you fast-track yourself for future success!

1. Blockchain Basics
Instructor: Jonathan Reichental, Ph.D.
Do you work in business leadership positions, data science, or IT management? Curious about blockchain technology? This quick one-hour e-course will introduce you to the improvements in security and efficiency that blockchain databases represent. Learn about the history of blockchain technology, practical applications, and risks of blockchain innovation.

2. Learning Cloud Computing: Core Concepts
Instructor: David Linthicum, Deloitte Consulting
Looking to explore the potentialities of cloud computing? Take an hour and 44 minutes to watch this course, which will introduce you to the tools you need to take advantage of cloud computing opportunities. Find out what Saas, laaS, and PaaS are, learn about the data and applications necessary to move to the cloud, and explore the essentials of cloud monitoring, management, and security.

3.) Learning Data Analytics
Instructor: Robin Hunt, developer and educator
This 90-minute course introduces basic concepts to those who work with data, both analysts and non-analysts alike. It begins by defining data analytics and the role of data analysts. Following this, it teaches you how to work with data sets and follow best practices for data analytics projects. Finally, it covers advanced techniques for repurposing, charting, and pivoting data and top shortcut and troubleshooting tips.

4.) Artificial Intelligence Foundations: Machine Learning
Instructor: Doug Rose
As one of the most promising fields in artificial intelligence, machine learning can be beneficial in interpreting and organizing data, programming computers, and even discovering new frontiers in science. This 77-minute course teaches you how to work with data and apply machine learning principles, as well as identify different types of machine learning and machine learning applications.

5.) Getting Started In User Experience
Instructor: Chris Nodder
Want to improve the customer experience on your e-commerce website or web interface? This 41-minute micro-course introduces you to the elements of user experience (UX) – including design, research, strategy, development, interactive and visual design, content, accessibility, localization, and data science. Learn about various UX career paths, the practical skills required by employers, and typical job profiles.

Here are the steps to set yourself up with LinkedIn Learning:

1. Go to the LinkedIn Home Pag
   
2. If you are not a LinkedIn member, click on the “Join Now” button in the upper-right of the screen, and set up your membership.
   
3. If you are a member, sign in, and on the Account & Settings page, click the yellow “Upgrade” button to bring up the premium account options.
   
4. Click the “Sign Up” button for the premium level to which you want to upgrade.

For better and for worse, our lives have been revolutionized by the internet. But a new high-tech innovation known as 5G is set to transform everything once again.

The internet plays a pivotal role in our lives, thanks to broadband piped through our homes. But 'fifth generation' 5G will take this a giant step forward.

It will enable mobile phones to use wireless broadband that matches the best fiber optic speeds. We will be able to rip out old phone lines and internet cables that clutter the house – and instead use mobile reception for all our needs.

Experts believe 5G will lead to an explosion of new 'smart' gadgets that talk to our mobile phones through more reliable superfast signals – offering everything from fridge cameras that order groceries when the contents are running low, to robot chauffeurs that can take us around in a self-driving car.

The possibilities of this connection of gadgets – known as the ‘Internet of Things' (IoT) – seem almost limitless.

The 5G technology will start by making pin-sharp video phone calls the norm so we can ditch our landlines if we haven't already.

And with broadband download speeds of perhaps 200 Megabits per second (Mbps) – which is more than four times faster than the current average home broadband speed – the technology will also help us economize and be more secure.

Smartphone apps controlled by 5G will monitor our heating and lights – turning gadgets off when not needed – while providing 24-hour security with cameras viewed from our phones.

Get It to Everyone. But all of the good that is forecast for 5G will only happen when 5G is available to everyone.  In the UK, where 5G is moving more quickly than in the U.S., Ernest Doku, a technology expert at comparison website uSwitch, said, “5G has the potential to transform the way we live – but at this stage, it is no silver bullet as we still need to ensure everyone has access to the connection before it can change the world.”

Last year, it started was rolled out in several major cities though connectivity was still small and patchy. And you need an expensive new smartphone such as the Samsung Galaxy S10 to gain access.

So far, Apple devices cannot connect to the 5G network, and the revolution cannot begin in earnest until they do – which may happen when the latest iPhone models come out in September.

Beware New Malware. New 5G technology offers an exciting opportunity to improve our networks – but it also opens a new door for fraudsters.

One of the critical concerns is the threat of so-called ‘stingrays.’ This is where a criminal intercepts your mobile signal with a copycat aerial that tricks it into sharing encrypted identifying data about the phone.

Using this information, the fraudster knows what handset you are using, can track your exact whereabouts, and might even be able to hack into your phone operating system’s software.

Cybersecurity expert Colin Tankard, of Digital Pathways, said, “The public needs to be aware of the dangers of this new technology – and with more gadgets being hooked up to 5G, it increases the risk of problems if you should get hacked.”

Tankard believes those that embrace 5G must ensure they add a layer of security to their smartphones by downloading ‘virtual private network’ (VPN) software on to their handsets via an app and using a subscription service. 

Doku says: “Although it may be exciting to be among the first people to embrace this new technology, prices for 5G phones and access to the 5G network should both fall if you hold on for at least 12 months.”

Also, as a newbie, you may initially be disappointed as national coverage is still poor, and the number of gadgets connecting to 5G is limited.
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But the potential for 5G to transform the way we live and manage our homes is really exciting.

In the UK, all Internet of Things (IoT) and smart consumer devices will need to adhere to specific security requirements, under new government proposals.

The legislation aims is to help protect citizens and businesses from the threats posed by cybercriminals increasingly targeting Internet of Things devices.

By hacking IoT devices, cybercriminals can build an army of devices that can be used to conduct DDoS attacks to take down online services, while poorly secured IoT devices can also serve as an easy way for hackers to get into networks and other systems across a network.

The proposed measures from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) have been developed in conjunction with the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and come following a consultation period with information security experts, product manufacturers and retailers and others.

"Our new law will hold firms manufacturing and selling internet-connected devices to account and stop hackers threatening people's privacy and safety," said Matt Warman, minister for digital and broadband at DCMS.

They also follow on from the previously suggested voluntary best practice requirements. Still, the legislation would require that IoT devices sold in the UK must follow three particular rules to be allowed to sell products in the UK. They are:

• All consumer internet-connected device passwords must be unique and not resettable to any universal factory setting.
• Manufacturers of consumer IoT devices must provide a public point of contact so anyone can report a vulnerability, and it will be acted on promptly.
• Manufacturers of consumer IoT devices must explicitly state the minimum length of time for which the device will receive security updates at the point of sale, either in-store or online.

It is currently unclear how these rules will be enforced under any future law. While the government has said that its "ambition" is to introduce legislation in this area, and said this would be done "as soon as possible," there is no detail on when this would take place. A DCMS spokesperson said that the department would be working with retailers and manufacturers as the proposals move forward.

Many connected devices are shipped with simple, default passwordswhich in many cases can't be changed. At the same time, some IoT product manufacturers often lack a means of being contacted to report vulnerabilities – especially if that device is produced on the other side of the world.

In addition to this, it's been known for IoT products to stop receiving support from manufacturers suddenly, and by providing an exact length of time that devices will be supported will allow users to think about how secure the product will be in the long-term.

If products don't follow these rules, the new law proposes that these devices could potentially be banned from sale in the UK.

"Whilst the UK Government has previously encouraged industry to adopt a voluntary approach, it is now clear that decisive action is needed to ensure that strong cybersecurity is built into these products by design," said Warman.

"Our new law will hold firms manufacturing and selling internet-connected devices to account and stop hackers from threatening people's privacy and safety. It will mean robust security standards are built-in from the design stage and not bolted on as an afterthought," he added.

"Smart technology is increasingly central to the way we live our lives, so the development of this legislation to ensure that we are better protected is hugely welcomed," said Nicola Hudson, Policy and Communications Director at the NCSC.

"It will give shoppers increased peace of mind that the technology they are bringing into their homes is safe, and that issues such as pre-set passwords and sudden discontinuation of security updates are a thing of the past."
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The UK isn't alone in attempting to secure the Internet of Things – ENISA, the European Union's cybersecurity agency, is also working towards legislation in this area. At the same time, the US government is also looking to regulate IoT to protect against cyber-attacks.

The Smart Home market is currently badly fragmented because each vendor has been focusing on creating a separate ecosystem with devices that are difficult or impossible to connect with those of their competitors.
This situation may be about to end with the announcement of a new project called Project Connected Home over IP.

In a surprising move, Amazon, Apple, Google, along with the Zigbee Alliance have announced a joint effort to define a new standard that would remove those barriers by increasing interoperability and simplifying development for smart device manufacturers. They will join Zigbee Alliance members such as IKEA, NXP Semiconductors, Samsung SmartThings, Schneider Electric, and Signify in contributing to a project that aims to increase trust and adoption of smart things.

The new project is essentially a way to certify that whatever smart device you buy will work with your existing home setup and connect with your smartphone or voice assistant of choice. In other words, it will allow smart things to speak a common language, so they know what the other devices do and how to interact with them, hopefully, governed by better, end-to-end security and privacy protections.

The success of this project hinges on the idea that if companies build their products to connect using Internet Protocol-based technologies, it will be easier for consumers to invest in building up mixed ecosystems that are "secure, reliable, and seamless to use."

The companies involved will take an open-source approach, so each will bring some of their smart home technologies to the table so that a common protocol can be developed as quickly as possible with relatively lower costs. That includes Amazon's Alexa, Apple's HomeKit and Siri, Zigbee's Dotdot, and Google Weave and Thread.

Once that new standard is ready, it will work alongside existing connectivity standards such as Wi-Fi, cellular, and Bluetooth Low Energy. A logo on the boxes of smart things will make it easy for consumers to discern what devices are guaranteed to work with each other, and this should also make things easier for manufacturers who no longer need to worry about which standards to support. Similarly, developers will be able to follow a standard for "lifecycle events such as provisioning/onboarding, removal, error recovery, and software update."

Before you get too excited about the new development, keep in mind that a preliminary draft will be completed by the end of 2020, so we'll probably have to wait until at least 2021 to see this project bear fruit. And be ready to buy new smart things if you want these benefits, as existing ones won't necessarily be able to work with the new protocol.
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The new industry group will initially focus on physical safety products like smart locks, gas sensors, smoke alarms, security cameras, smart electrical plugs, and thermostats. Then they'll move on to cover most other smart home and commercial devices.

There's been a significant rise in cybercriminals using a particular phishing technique to trick workers into unwittingly installing malware, transferring money, or handing over their login credentials.

In conversation-hijacking attacks, hackers infiltrate real business email threads by exploiting previously compromised credentials –perhaps purchased on dark web forums, stolen or accessed via brute force attacks – before inserting themselves into the conversation in the guise of one of the group.

"Once they gain access to the account, attackers will spend time reading through conversations, researching their victims and looking for any deals or valuable conversations they can insert themselves," Olesia Klevchuk, senior product manager for email security at Barracuda Networks, said.

The idea is that by using a real identity and by mimicking the language that a person uses, the phishing attack will be viewed as coming from a trusted colleague and is thus much more likely to be successful.

Cybercriminals are leaning hard on this attack technique as a means of compromising businesses, according to new research from Barracuda Networks. Analysis of 500,000 emails showed that conversation hijacking rose by over 400% between July and November last year.

While conversation-hijacking attacks are still relatively rare, the personal nature means they're difficult to detect, are effective, and potentially very costly to organizations that fall victim to campaigns.

For cybercriminals conducting conversation-hijacking attacks, the effort involved is much greater than merely spamming out phishing emails in the hope that a target clicks, but a successful attack can potentially be highly rewarding.

In most cases, the attackers won't directly use the compromised account to send the malicious phishing message – because the user could notice that their outbox contains an email that they didn't send.

However, what conversation hijackers do instead is attempt to impersonate domains, using techniques like typo-squatting – when a URL is the same as the target company, save for one or two slightly altered changes.

But by using a real name and a real email thread, the attackers are hoping that the intended target won't notice the domain is slightly different and that they'll follow the request that's coming from their supposed contact, perhaps a colleague, customer, partner or vendor.

In some cases, it's been known for conversation hijackers to communicate with their intended victims for weeks to ensure that trust is built up.

At some point, the attacker will make their move and try to trick the victim into transferring money, sensitive information, or potentially installing malware.

"These attacks are highly personalized, including the content, and therefore a lot more effective. They have the potential of a huge payout, especially when organizations are preparing to make a large payment, purchase, or an acquisition," said Klevchuk.

"There is a great chance that someone will fall for a conversation-hijacking attack over a more traditional type of phishing," she added.

However, while conversation-hijacking attacks are more sophisticated than regular phishing attacks, they're not impossible to spot. Users should pay attention to the email address a message is coming from and be suspicious if the domain is slightly different compared to what they're used to seeing.

Users should also be wary of sudden demands for payments or transfers and, if there's doubt about the origin of the request, they should contact the person requesting it, either in person, by phone, or by starting a new email to their known address.
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Organizations can also protect their employees from these attacks by implementing two-factor authentication, because by adding this extra layer, even if login credentials are stolen, attackers can't use them to conduct further attacks.

Mobile hotspots are a crucial tool for travelers needing to keep all their gear connected. But with the advent of 5G, Netgear’s new Nighthawk M5 5G Wi-Fi 6 Mobile Router could replace all of your home’s Wi-Fi equipment with a pocket-friendly hotspot that will provide fast Wi-Fi even when you take it on the road.

As 5G mobile networks continue their slow but steady rollout across the country, mobile internet seems like it is increasingly becoming a viable alternative for users tired of having their internet delivered through a prehistoric coaxial cable with questionable reliability. With 5G capable of delivering download speeds up to one or two gigabits/second, with a strong enough signal reaching a home, it could theoretically deliver more than enough throughput for everything from streaming 4K content to online gaming.

Netgear’s Nighthawk M5 Mobile Router includes features that are now standard on most hotspots, including a dedicated touchscreen display for accessing its settings, showing its connection status, and keeping an eye on how much data you’ve used, and your monthly limit. What other hotspots don’t have is the ability to connect to not only the next-generation 5G mobile networks, but also the next wave of Wi-Fi 6 devices which promise the fastest wireless performance and minimal bottlenecks, even with several smartphones, tablets, computers, and IoT devices all connected at the same time.

Netgear is also positioning the Nighthawk M5 as both an alternative to getting your home internet through wires, and as a reliable backup for when your cable internet or even fiber service goes on the fritz. The M5 includes a removable rechargeable battery so that when used at home, you can instead plug into an outlet. Because hotspots typically don’t have the same Wi-Fi range as larger routers or even mesh networking hardware, the mobile router also includes a gigabit ethernet port so you can connect it to a dedicated Wi-Fi router that will provide a stronger signal throughout your entire home.
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The Nighthawk M5 won’t be available until sometime in the second half of 2020 at the earliest, with pricing being revealed at that time. And it will also be dependent on a mobile plan, and a carrier who’s operating a 5G network in your area. In other words, ditching cable internet is going to be an expensive proposition when this thing arrives, but the ultimate conveniences could easily outweigh the cost.

The new year is giving scammers an easy way to forge documents, but you can protect yourself with an easy New Year's resolution: Stop abbreviating the year.

Why? This year's abbreviation is easily changeable and could be used against you. The concern is that scammers could easily manipulate a document dated "1/1/20" into "1/1/2000" or even "1/1/2021."

Writing out the full date "could possibly protect you and prevent legal issues on paperwork," according to Hamilton County, Ohio, Auditor Dusty Rhodes.

Ira Rheingold, the executive director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates, says it's early in the year to cite examples, but scammers could use the method to establish an unpaid debt or to attempt to cash an old check.

"Say you agreed to make payments beginning on 1/15/20. The bad guy could theoretically establish that you began owing your obligation on 1/15/2019, and try to collect additional $$$," Rheingold wrote.

In the future, post-dating could be a problem too. For example, a check dated "1/1/20" could become "1/1/2021" next year, possibly making the uncashed check active again, Rheingold wrote. A similar method could be used for debts that are past the statute of limits.

The solution is easy: There's no harm in writing the full date. Writing the month out can also help. 
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Write this: January 15, 2020. Not this: 1/15/20.

The majority of phones sold today are enabled for 4G connectivity, but if you’re looking to get yourself a new phone with your holiday money, you would be wise to bide your time and get yourself a 5G phone.
Here are five of the best reasons why:

1. 5G networks are better than ever, and keep improving. When launched earlier this year, 5G was limited to a few of the busiest areas of the biggest cities. But now, 5G is present in many more locations than before and will soon spread further.

2. 5G phones will be far more widespread this year. It’s not just the networks that will see significant expansion this year; we also expect to see a far greater number of the devices themselves becoming available. Qualcomm has unveiled its two latest top-of-the-line processors, the Snapdragon 865 and the Snapdragon 765, and both of them have 5G enabled.

The Samsung Galaxy A90 5G is just one of a whole new wave of 5G phones hitting the market. That means there’s no option for a 4G flagship running Qualcomm this year, which is undoubtedly essential news when one considers the ubiquity of the chipsets among Android-sporting brands such as OnePlus, Sony, Motorola, Asus, and more. You’ll have a far greater choice of a 5G phone if you wait for 2020, and depending on your commitment to your favored brand, you might not even have the option to stick to 4G this year.

3. iPhones will almost certainly adopt 5G, so no need to switch to Android. It was mildly surprising that the most prominent tech brand in the world didn’t offer the option of a 5G handset last year, but they will most likely be offering multiple 5G models this coming year. What’s more, a report has indicated that 80 million 5G modems are being readied for the September launch of the iPhone 12, so there’s strong evidence that we may see the whole range enabled for 5G.

4. 5G phones will become more affordable. Also, at the Qualcomm conference, Xiaomi announced that they would release a minimum of 10 new 5G phones throughout 2020, but more crucially, that these new devices would fall in the mid-range and possibly even budget segments of the market.

Most reviewers have been impressed with Xiaomi’s new devices, even though the 5G handsets are costly. So, if Xiaomi brings out models in the mid-range with better pricing and 5G capability, it should be welcome news for the whole market.

Moreover, most industry insiders doubt that Xiaomi will be the only brand to offer mid-range devices.

5. 5G’s excellent performance means it is the future of mobile tech. The most persuasive argument in favor of 5G comes not in the form of words, but numbers. Qualcomm’s latest X55 modem promises top download speeds of 7Gbps, and upload speeds hitting 3Gbps.

The early real-world experience says that performance improvements will be eye-opening. This massive performance improvement to your daily usage would be reason enough to adopt 5G, but it’s the implications for future tech that mean you’ll want to be a part of this new revolution.

Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher of Ephesus, is credited with the quote, “The only constant in life is change.” It comes as no surprise that technology is gradually taking over all aspects of our day to day life. 
The rise of cutting-edge technology, including cloud-based computing, big data analysis, wearables, machine learnings, Internet of Things, AR/VR, and drones has been exhibiting nothing but change. Moreover, the rise of 5G technology is establishing even further growth prospects.
So, looking at the coming decade, these top 5 technologies are set to have the most significant impact and change: 

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Blockchain
• Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality (AR/VR)
• Big Data
• Internet of Things (IoT).

 
Artificial intelligence (AI)remains a hot spot, with its ever-increasing impact on numerous industries all over the world. AI is the most substantial and significant driving technology factor with its speedy execution in sectors like banking, retail, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, and defense. AI applications allow machines to learn from experience and work like humans by simulating human performance.
Whether it’s Apple’s self-driving car, Amazon’s Alexa and Echo, or Google’s Lens, the application of artificial intelligence holds the most vital prospect.
AI can impact the world economy on numerous grounds, like aiding or replacing human labor to finish the assigned work more rapidly. Consequently, it expands production, speeds up the processing of data flows, increases production and service development, thereby generating more wealth worldwide.
According to several media reports, 80% of emerging technologies will implement AI technology by 2021.
The important spheres where AI is used: 
•      Knowledge Reasoning
•      Machine Learning
•      Robotics
•      Natural Language Processing.
•      Planning 
 
Blockchainis significantly speedier and more reliable than the legacy technologies in completing a transaction and recording it securely. This is primarily due to the lack of manual processing or verification by mediators as it applies a distributed consensus.
Additionally, blockchain technology is expected to be honest and intended to deliver unaffected information. Thus, the probability of financial deficits is low, with the slightest possibilities of double counting and hacking.
Overall, the cohesive use of the technology can enable countries to attain better economic growth with streamlined day-to-day systems. Bitcoin is one of the best examples of blockchain technology use.
The important spheres where blockchain is used: 
•      Encrypted Messaging
•      Decentralized Internet
•      Distributed Cloud Storage
•      Networking Sites
•      Stock Exchange
•      Real Estate
 
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)is seeing significant new implementations due to the shift in consumer desires and business demands. With hardware possibilities and digital capabilities becoming more easily accessible and inexpensive to the ordinary person, AR/VR technologies have evolved extraordinarily well in the last few years.

Almost every major sector, including healthcare, retail, pharma, gaming, entertainment, automobiles, and construction, are utilizing the technology to interrelate between the actual world and 3D virtual objects in real-time.

The important spheres where AR/VR is used: 

• Design & Modelling
• Business Logistics
• Field Service
• Entertainment Properties
• Retail
• Medical Training

 
Big Data is turning out to be an essential component for businesses to remain aggressive and competitive in most industries. Companies are utilizing this technology to identify and calculate consumption models or enhance operational effectiveness.

Investments in big data analytics software, hardware, and services are anticipated to increase in the new decade, due to the enormous amount of structured and unstructured data generated universally. This pervasive implementation of big data analytics is a significant tailwind driving the big data market on a global basis.

Big Data technology aids in controlling vast amounts of structured and unstructured information, thereby making it more straightforward for companies to make better business decisions. Moreover, big data analytics acts as a booster for marketing strategies, thereby improving customer relationships.

Additionally, with rising cyber-threats and cyber-crimes, big data is the best answer to fight fraud in online deals.

The important spheres where big data is used: 

• Location Tracking
• Precision Medicine
• Fraud Detection & Handling
• Advertising
• Entertainment & Media.

 
Internet of Things (IoT)unites manufacturing, medical devices, vehicles, and a range of consumer and everyday products, which allows enhanced monitoring, analytics, and more.

IoT, in simple terms, implies connecting devices over the network or internet for the intent of interaction. In IoT, devices gather and distribute data that is accumulated in the cloud, thereby helping in faster analyzing information, gaining more accurate insights.

According to media reports, by 2025, the total installed base of IoT connected devices is expected to be around 75.44 billion globally. This represents a 500% increase over the last decade.
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The important spheres where IoT is used: 

• Connected Devices
• Smart Homes
• Wearables
• Smart Cities.

If it seems like all your friends have smartphones, you may be on to something. A new report by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that reports on technology and media for children, found that by the age of 11, more than half of kids in the U.S. have their own smartphone. By age 12, more than two-thirds do, and by 14, teens are just as likely as adultsto own a smartphone. Some kids start much younger. Nearly 20% of 8-year-olds have a smartphone!

Now, let’s speak to the kids. So, what’s the right age? The best answer is when both you and your parents feel the time is right.

Here are some points to consider to help you and your parents make this decision.

Responsibility.Have you shown that you are generally responsible? Do you keep track of valuable belongings? Do you understand the value of money, and can you save up to buy things you want? These are all good signs that you may be ready for a phone. If not, it might be wise to wait a bit longer.

Safety.Do you travel to or from school or after-school activities without an adult? This is when phones often go from a “want” to a “need.” Sometimes parents report that they feel better knowing they can reach their children directly and that their kids can reach them, too.

Social Maturity.Do you treat your friends with kindness and respect? Do you understand the permanence of the internet, the fact that once something goes out onto the web, it can never truly be deleted? It is critically important that you have a grasp on these issues before you own a smartphone.

Bullying. We all get angry and say hurtful things we don’t mean sometimes, but when you post something on the internet that you might not mean later, or might wish you could take back. It can have real and lasting harmful effects. In the era of smartphones, there have been considerable increases in cyberbullying.

Be Smart. If you and your parents decide this is an excellent time to take that step, here are some tips for creating a healthy relationship between you and your phone.
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Parents should model good behavior! Your parents are the number one most important influence in your life, and that goes for technology use as much as anything else. If parents are glued to their phones all day, guess what? Their children probably will be, too.
On the flip side, if parents model smartphone habits like putting the phone away during meals and not texting and driving, that will go a long way toward helping kids develop similar healthy behaviors.
You and your parents should talk together about the importance of setting rules and limits around your phone use and screen time. Understanding why rules are made and set in place can help kids stick to a system.