Can parents do a little more parenting here...

What kind of parenting is it when people let their kids to do whatever they want?  I mean, I know we all let our children get a way with certain things once in a while. I call it picking and choosing my battles. But when it comes to their safety and protection, what they want should be null n void! Should we allow our thirteen year old to have a cellphone? Maybe one with Internet access? Picture mail? Hey why not? Every thirteen year old has one these days right? Well what about if you find inappropriate pictures in that cellphone? Do you take it away? Do you come to terms with it and give it back in a month?  I was watching a television show the other day. I think it was Dr. Phil, and they were talking about "Sexting". Young teens sending each other nude pics, and dirty text messages. There were parents on that stage condoning this behavior. Okay, I know there's only so much a parent can do when their teen gets older. But at thirteen and fourteen, I think they can do a little better than that. Why are people afraid to tell their kids no? I thought it was part of our job to show them that there are consequences to every decision we make in life. Back in the day, I would have had to say "bye bye phone". OK, so maybe it would have been more like "bye bye pager".  I just have to wonder, is it parents being afraid to say no, or do they just not care?