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This project compiled state and District of Columbia laws regulating the use of mobile communication devices (MCD) by individuals operating motor vehicles and coded some of the laws' features in a data file.

The data file contains information about prohibitions against talking or texting on a MCD for different groups of drivers:

• 16 year old drivers with provisional or beginner licenses
• All 16 year old drivers
• 17 year old drivers with provisional or beginner licenses
• All 17 year old drivers
• 18 year old drivers with provisional or beginner licenses
• All 18 year old drivers
• All drivers with provisional or beginner licenses
• All drivers

For each of these groups, the coded features include the date each provision against talking or texting on a MCD went into effect, whether there is hands-free exception to the prohibition, whether there is a primary or secondary method of enforcement, and the minimum and maximum fines for the first, second, and third violations. The data file is structured so that each record reflects the coded features of relevant law at a given month. Thus, every state and the District of Columbia has 144 records in the file, one for each month from January 2000 to December 2011.

A separate PDF file contains the text of the laws.

The growing use of contraband wireless devices, particularly cell phones, smuggled in correctional facilities, is a significant problem across the country. Inmates behind bars may use these devices to organize gang activities, run drug operations, and even plan escapes, which may threaten the safety and welfare of other inmates, prison employees and the general public. To combat the use of contraband cell phones, some radio-based technologies have been investigated, which primarily fall into the following three categories:

• radio jamming systems which disrupt the communication link between the wireless device and the transceiver outside of the prison by continuously transmitting on the same radio frequencies as the contraband wireless device, and thus make the device unusable behind bars;
• managed access systems (MAS) which build a private micro-cellular network over the whole facility in which all radio transmissions to carrier networks, e.g., calls or messages originating from inside or outside prisons, are captured, and only those authorized transmissions from and/or to a "white list" of preregistered wireless devices are allowed; and
• passive detection systems which identify and localize various sources of unapproved wireless transmissions from prisons.

It has been known that a jamming system may interfere with authorized calls including public safety communications (e.g., 9-1-1 calls), particularly when multiple frequency bands are involved, and a MAS is usually prohibitively expensive in its installation and operation due to the needs of covering many different commercial networks and frequency bands with an optimized footprint. In contrast, the detection system offers a passive solution in that detection systems do not transmit any radio signals and thus do not interfere with other transmissions. Therefore, the overall objective of this project is to develop an effective and low-cost contraband interdiction system (CIS) for identifying, localizing, and tracking unauthorized wireless devices such as cell phones and WiFi devices in correctional facilities, through the use and development of advanced machine learning algorithms for fingerprinting radio frequency (RF) signals originating from an unauthorized wireless device.

The goal of this Common Sense research study was to provide current information about parent media use and their perceptions of their children and teens' (ages 8-18) media use. Data is from a nationally representative, probability-based, and cross-sectional online survey that was taken by parents of children and teens ages 8- to 18-years-old. Participants answered questions about their media use and their perception of their tweens or teens' media use. Media use included watching television, movies, and videos; playing video games; listening to music; using social media, reading either print or electronic books; and using digital devices for other purposes, such as browsing websites, playing games, or any other activity. We also asked about computer, smartphone, and tablet (and similar device) use for work purposes. Demographics include age, household income, parent education, race/ethnicity, gender, household size, and parent/caregiver employment status.

The goal of this study was to examine young American teenagers' social media use and their perceptions of effects. Data is from a large-scale, nationally representative and probability-based online survey taken by teens ages 13 to 17. Participants answered questions about how often they use social media, their attitudes about social media's role in their lives, the experiences they have on social media, and how social media makes them feel. Social media includes:

• Social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, and GooglePlus)
• Programs like Twitter or Tumblr, virtual worlds like Second Life
• Online chatting in video or computer games like World of Warcraft
• Things posted on sites like YouTube, Formspring, or other websites

The Eurobarometer series is a unique cross-national and cross-temporal survey program conducted on behalf of the European Commission. These surveys regularly monitor public opinion in the European Union (EU) member countries and consist of standard modules and special topic modules. The standard modules address attitudes towards European unification, institutions and policies, measurements for general socio-political orientations, as well as respondent and household demographics. The special topic modules address such topics as agriculture, education, natural environment and resources, public health, public safety and crime, and science and technology.

This round of Eurobarometer surveys covers the following special topics: (1) The Future of Europe and (2) E-Communications in the Household. Respondents' opinions were collected regarding the state of the European Union, what important issues it currently faced, what they felt were the biggest assets of the EU, and how it should address global changes. Respondents were also questioned about ownership and use of communication devices such as mobile phones and computers. They were asked how these devices were provided with internet service, their data use and limits, difficulties with internet access, whether they had experienced blocking of content online, and the costs associated with internet service.

Demographic and other background information collected includes age, gender, nationality, marital status, occupation, age when stopped full-time education, household composition, ownership of a fixed or mobile telephone and other goods, difficulties in paying bills, level in society, and Internet use. In addition, country-specific data includes type and size of locality, region of residence, and language of interview (select countries).

The Survey on Mobility and Mobile Communication was designed to obtain information about how individuals move and interact with others in their daily lives as well as the the psychological factors underlying contemporary communication.

A total of 925 participants completed an online survey. Information was collected on respondents' everyday walking and driving patterns, mobile communication patterns, in-depth cognitive dimensions of mobile communication (automaticity, immersion), psychological trait/personality measures (mindfulness, self-control), psychological orientations related to mobile communication (texting identity, texting impulsivity), and risky driving behavior.

Of the 925 cases, a sub-sample of 250 respondents was randomly selected to test how automatic texting tendencies (highly unconscious) and immersive texting tendencies (highly conscious) are related to each other (Study 1). A second sub-sample of 526 was randomly selected to evaluate how the resulting model of texting consciousness relates to global self-regulation at the personality level (Study 2). Finally, the full sample of 925 cases was used to evaluate whether texting consciousness and generalized personality measures predict the rate of distracted driving.

Demographic variables include age, sex, and whether the respondent was a student at the University of Michigan.

The Voice of the People Survey Series is WIN/Gallup International Association's End of Year survey and is a global study that collects the public's view on the challenges that the world faces today. Ongoing since 1977, the purpose of WIN/Gallup International's End of Year survey is to provide a platform for respondents to speak out concerning government and corporate policies.

The Voice of the People, End of Year Surveys for 2012, fielded June 2012 to February 2013, were conducted in 56 countries to solicit public opinion on social and political issues. Respondents were asked whether their country was governed by the will of the people, as well as their attitudes about their society. Additional questions addressed respondents' living conditions and feelings of safety around their living area, as well as personal happiness. Respondents' opinions were also gathered in relation to business development and their views on the effectiveness of the World Health Organization. Respondents were also surveyed on ownership and use of mobile devices. Demographic information includes sex, age, income, education level, employment status, and type of living area.

The Eurobarometer series is a unique cross-national and cross-temporal survey program conducted on behalf of the European Commission. These surveys regularly monitor public opinion in the European Union (EU) member countries and consist of standard modules and special topic modules. The standard modules address attitudes towards European unification, institutions and policies, measurements for general sociopolitical orientations, as well as respondent and household demographics. The special topic modules address such topics as agriculture, education, natural environment and resources, public health, public safety and crime, and science and technology.

This round of Eurobarometer surveys covers the standard modules and the following special topics: (1) The Future of Europe, (2) Awareness of Home Affairs, and (3) E-Communications in the Household. Questions pertain to opinions about EU objectives and policy towards social and economic policy and respondents' awareness of social, economic, and political issues in the EU and its member countries. Other questions pertain to the availability, use, and problems with e-communication tools such as telephones and the internet.

Demographic and other background information collected includes age, gender, nationality, marital status, occupation, age when stopped full-time education, household composition, ownership of a fixed or mobile telephone and other durable goods, difficulties paying bills, level within society (self-placed), and Internet use. In addition, country-specific data includes type and size of locality and size of locality, region of residence, and language of interview.

The Survey of Consumer Attitudes and Behavior series (also known as the Surveys of Consumers) was undertaken to measure changes in consumer attitudes and expectations, to understand why such changes occur, and to evaluate how they relate to consumer decisions to save, borrow, or make discretionary purchases. The data regularly include the Index of Consumer Sentiment, the Index of Current Economic Conditions, and the Index of Consumer Expectations. Since the 1940s, these surveys have been produced quarterly through 1977 and monthly thereafter.

The surveys conducted in 2011 focused on topics such as evaluations and expectations about personal finances, employment, price changes, and the national business situation. Opinions were collected regarding respondents' appraisals of present and future market conditions for purchasing houses, automobiles, computers, and other durables. Also explored in this survey, were respondents' types of savings and financial investments, loan use, family income, and retirement planning.

Other topics in this series typically include ownership, lease, and use of automobiles, respondents' use of personal computers at home and in the office, and respondents' familiarity with and use of the Internet. Demographic information includes ethnic origin, sex, age, marital status, and education.