Would you support giving social media an age limit...say 18?

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Social Media is the equipment, not the problem.

Take away the equipment and the problem remains and just finds a new way.

Agree that SM is equipment but am interested to read about the problem as seen by others.

[berettafan]

it is indeed the equipment. equipment that I believe children are simply not mentally equipped to handle.

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by berettafan

it is indeed the equipment. equipment that I believe children are simply not mentally equipped to handle.

Most of those same children can't handle it as adults. I'm not telling you or anyone else anything new there. So, why is it this way?

[74-911]

Originally Posted by stomachmonkey

Well that would effectively kill off FB since their core demographic is not teens anyway.

The platforms that teens use we have not even heard of and as soon as we do they switch to something else.

A local TV station ran a special a few days ago on this "If Only My Parents Knew". They interview teens of various ages and all said one thing: My parents don't have a clue about how we use the internet (and no, they don't use Facebook, Twitter, etc... They discussed sexting, sex, bullying, you name it and discussed some of the current Apps they use (I had never heard of any of them) and it was eye-opening what they can do, particularly how so much can be done anonymously... and yes, new APPs are always being developed so they constantly move around..

One of the sites featured videos of teens walking up to another and slapping them in the face...hard.. that's about all the videos were on that site ?? It's a brave new world out there.

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by berettafan

So question is would you support making all social media an 18 + thing?

No, I would support making it an 18 and UNDER thing!

Let the brat kids play on the facebook. When you become an adult, you have to delete your social media presence and become part of society.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by Holger

You are missing the point that we are going faster and faster. And the human (kids at least) is not made for this media velocity.

That is an accurate observation. Good point and thank you!

Children should have a 'safe' social environment online.
Children should be able to learn about the world.
This huge and diverse world is now instantaneous.
It can be too much sometimes.
And children should not be mixed in with cut throat political adults who tend to threaten, harass, and dominate the conversation.

Q: But how could any parent protect their children online?
A: By being present and guiding them. The child will learn what is bad and to ignore, and learn what is good and to explore.
The child will interact and learn from real humans.
Not the tv or computer.

But you are right, most social websites could do a better job of filtering general access.
Or they could become multi-tier/multi-level.
Many already do this.
Parents anywhere can install internet filtering software which does exactly that.


As an American I still believe this is not the role of government.
(We don't trust government.)
(There is good reason for this)

[aigel]

We have a 16 year age limit in my family for smart phones and social media accounts. My kids sometimes hate me for it, but it is totally worth it. The nice thing is that they make great friends that are living in the real world as well. Since they don't have a smart phone, my kids don't want to sit around others staring at their phones.

A law would be great - people would still do it, but I could point my kids to the law and be a bit less of an *******.

G

[dad911]

Originally Posted by 74-911

A local TV station ran a special a few days ago on this "If Only My Parents Knew". They interview teens of various ages and all said one thing: My parents don't have a clue about how we use the internet......

My parents had no clue what we were doing in the '70s......
Glad there were no cell phones back then, my mother was a control freak.

My kids used a 'public' computer (family room or my office) until well into High School.

Watched them, but gave them room to grow.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by JD159

Sammy, what does IDDQD mean to you?

Without taking this to PARF, I could just say it takes the player's health to 100% and makes him immune to injury.

Even better than IDCLIP.

[Mark Henry]

My kids have been on FB since they were 10-12 year/olds they use it daily.

We homeschooled and they're taught to put devices down. My son went back to PS at grade 7 he's now in Gr 10. My girl has been doing her high school on line through the PS board, she's going to a bricks and mortar High School in September to do a victory lap and a couple credits she still needs.
They have no phones, my son fakes it with an old iphone that is still wifi capable, net, ipod, camera, etc.They both can phone with their tabs using a free wifi phone service called Fongo.
No cable, all our entertainment are DVD movies, the local library has all the current releases for free. Very limited access to xbox, etc, games.

Both kids go to their friends and more often than not leave their devices at home. Most of the time they go ATVing, ride bikes, swim, etc.
My 15 year old boy is restoring a '73 914 for his first car, his best friend since pre-school is doing a '38 chevy PU and they both have girlfriends. He and his GF, which both call each other besty's not really GF/BF (yet), face chat almost nightly, but I never see a device when they are together. My daughter has friends who are boys, but even she says she's not interested in having a BF yet.
Neither kid locks their FB, but I suspect the boy has a snapchat account that he thinks I don't know about.

My kids are not what we call "head downers" they have been taught to always be aware of their surroundings, especially in public.
As far as bullying both could likely beat the carp out of 3/4 of the peeps here. The boy cracked my ribs when he was 12, sparing accident, he's now 6'-2", 180 solid pounds. His friends call him "the cop" as he's the group protectorate, no one messes with his friends. The girl quit sparing at 15 because no one would fight her, she can bounce your junk of the roof of your skull with one quick flick.
That said both do not have a mean bone in their bodies.

So I'm not worried about my kids being on FB.

Not saying we're perfect, but to me the bigger issue is a lack of parenting skills. In fact I see so many parents with device addiction, not paying any attention to their kids.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Holger that is an interesting concept. indeed the media co IS the publisher.

I dunno. There are so many levels of privacy, it's hard to make the media company responsible for all of it. I do think media company should be held responsible for content that is openly broadcast without restriction.
Passing some kind of nanny state law that makes it illegal for children to use social media would be a nightmare to enforce. Where are the kid's parents? THEY are ultimately responsible for what their kids do.

[berettafan]

agree parents SHOULD be held responsible but what about protecting the kids that are tormented endlessly by children whose parents either don't care (seen that in person) or are just ignorant to what their kids are doing?

for myself I keep coming back to this being a powerful mechanism that kids simply are ready to handle.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by berettafan

So question is would you support making all social media an 18 + thing?

Ya mean like how they outlawed driving and talking on your cell phone?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by berettafan

agree parents SHOULD be held responsible but what about protecting the kids that are tormented endlessly by children whose parents either don't care (seen that in person) or are just ignorant to what their kids are doing?

Parents should not be ignorant of what their kids are doing. They aren't ready for the responsibility that comes with privacy. Parents should have access to their kid's social media accounts until they are old enough to be held responsible for their actions.

Originally Posted by berettafan

for myself I keep coming back to this being a powerful mechanism that kids simply are ready to handle.

I agree. But who is responsible for taking it away, another unenforceable law, or holding parents responsible?

[HardDrive]

18+? How am i supposed to meet girlfriends?

[cabmandone]

One of my kids just lost their smartphone due to misusing social media. He now has a basic phone for calling and texting and will for the next 3 years. He's not happy but I explained that I pay the phone bill and if he doesn't like it he is more than welcome to go get a plan of his own and pay for it himself. I feel like it was a mistake ever allowing my kids to get a smartphone. Too much access to too many things while unsupervised.

[flipper35]

I had a classmate commit suicide when we were in 8th grade, so 1982. Another when we were sophmores. The girl in 8th was not an unpopular girl, rather one of the "Heathers". Somebody teased her too much and she went in the basement, laid out some visqueen and ended her life. I think it is more prevalent today because everyone gets used to getting a prize and are told they are equal to others. Some can't handle being different and lash out and others want to end it.

Our kids play computer games but not online games. Our daughter is 15 and has a smart phone but she is paying for the phone. She is good about asking what apps can be installed and hers does not have mobile data enabled. Neither wants to be part of the social media trend. They would rather go fishing, hunting, target shooting, soccer, bikes, muay thai, softball, and when playing computer games, Lego or Star Wars games like Empire at War and KOTOR, We occasionally have LAN parties and play Battlefield or a combat flight sim.

Neither has real good friends at school because the classmates are catty, immature little brats that can't handle someone talking to the "wrong" people just like when we grew up. They have a few decent friends but because they won't like Justin Beiber or the right clothes they don't fit in with the clicky people. Which is fine by me and them.

[Holger]

As someone said, even some grown ups cant handle the stress.
The PwC-employee giving Beatty and Dunaway the wrong envelope Twittered just before the "incident". Might already have been too much distraction for that idiot!

[fintstone]

Any parent that thinks they know what their kids are doing is fooling themself. Been there, done that, carry the scars. Nothing is more easily influenced by peers....or more sneaky or manipulative than a teen. Even the "good" ones. Massive hormonal changes, current trends in sexual and moral ambiguity have taken their toll. Teachers who spend as much time with them as you do are not involved in the community and avoid "investing" time and energy. Less teens work in jobs or at home and have lots more unsupervised free time to get into trouble. Marijuana is legal in a lot of places and much easier to get and more potent than when we were teens. An entire legal industry pushes the drug incessantly as harmless and cool. Watch them closely and set a good example, but don't think that they do not have the upper hand.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by fintstone

Any parent that thinks they know what their kids are doing is fooling themself. Been there, done that, carry the scars. Nothing is more easily influenced by peers....or more sneaky or manipulative than a teen. Even the "good" ones. Massive hormonal changes, current trends in sexual and moral ambiguity have taken their toll. Teachers who spend as much time with them as you do are not involved in the community and avoid "investing" time and energy. Less teens work in jobs or at home and have lots more unsupervised free time to get into trouble. Marijuana is legal in a lot of places and much easier to get and more potent than when we were teens. An entire legal industry pushes the drug incessantly as harmless and cool. Watch them closely and set a good example, but don't think that they do not have the upper hand.

Gotta agree with Fint except on the pot thing .
Good, high quality weed has been available to teens since the 80s...and it's NEVER been hard to get....and never will be....clueless. Now heroin/oxy is the one I would be concerned with if I were a parent. Kids are dying every damn day . My friend's 25 year old son has been to two funerals this year....neighborhood, hockey playing buds he grew up with. Our "war on drugs" has been a dismal, utter failure imo...due to misguided bs and policies .