Should there be an age limit for the digital world?
If you’re a parent of a teenager above 13 years old, it’s very likely he or she has a Facebook account. For the parents of children under 13 it’s a bit more tricky to find out whether or not your child is yet active on since Facebook theoretically doesn’t allow people under 13 to sign up for an account.
But wait a minute “doesn’t allow”? Isn’t that as simple as a click in the wrong age box?
The digital world is needless to say complex when trying to find out about the under-age group.
So what about children in between 7-12? Are they already out there posting pictures, status updates and chatting? Do they use maths applications under the table in the classroom on their iPhones? Should they even own a cellphone and should teachers allow technology devices for educational purposes in the classroom?
What we do know from studies is that 1 out of 3 children under the age of 10 (in the U.K) owns a cellphone.
I’m extremely divided about this and can’t make up my mind if it’s just plain wrong for a 7 year old to own a Blackberry or if it actually makes sence.
There are obvious Pro’s such as safety and convenience that makes it obvious to let a 7 year old have a cell phone.
On the negative side we can list things such as costs, the danger of internet access, bullying through text messages, chatting with strangers…
Personally I think I would finally equip my child with a basic device for safety reasons (If there even exist phones that can ONLY make calls now!).
You don’t have to be born to be on Facebook
A while back Facebook enabled expecting parents to add your unborn baby to your list of family members via the “Expected child” option.
What’s your opinion? Is this too much information?
Would you/Do you support giving a 7 year old a cellphone? Where is the limit?
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