Should there be a law banning smart phones for kids under let's say under 16 ir 18?

[Scallywag]

Voting, marriage, and driving are all good examples where regulation is need for protection. I would regular smart phones as well for the harm it could do to mitigate the harm to our kids.

Government "regulation" won't fix absent / neglectful / poor parenting, which is what this (Internet access monitoring / control) is really all about.

[myrdale]

The last time I checked, you had to be 18 years old to sign a contract.

If the parents purchase a cell phone and sign a contract and then give the phone to a minor, that is their choice. Considering I seldom ever see a child without a cell phone or tablet in their hands when I am out in public, it seems most parents make this choice.

What scares me about minors with cell phones or internet access is the prevalence of pornography. While I was growing up, my father had a long running subscription to Playboy, so from the age of 6 years or so, I was informed on female anatomy. However today with just a google search, you can see anyone doing anything. And while you might say that is the parents responsibility to set up restrictions, consider what happens when the kid in the seat on the school bus next to yours has a phone with no restrictions.

And what happens when a 14 yr old girl sends pictures to her boyfriend. Lets just say he is your son. Now the phone that you own has been used in a felony.

I would agree they should be banned on school property. They should be immediate seized and held until a parent comes and signs for them.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Thanks myrdale, I'm in agreement to something along those lines that you've outlined. Disneysteve yes the schools provides tablets but at least there is some supervision with an adult in the room. In myrdale's example with kids on a bus the have free reign to hard core stuff. Congress is grilling facebook currently but I think they are just spinning wheels. Congress should ban smart phones for under 16. In homes parents can allow kids to smart phone useage under their supervision. But once the kid leaves home make it illegal. Similar to owning a gun in California which has the strictest gun laws in the nation. I can legally possess the gun anywhere inside my dwelling but once I leave the house with the gun I would have to abide by some very strict restrictions. I would make the laws for smart phones similar to gun laws here in California along those lines. I know guns and smart phones are not the same but it's the best analogy that I can think of.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I don't want government regulation either. It really is parental choice. But at the same time it's like guns. I don't think minors should be allowed to operate guns and hunt. We regulate so much other stuff why can an 11 year old boy be allowed to shoot and take down an elk? I guess it's okay since the parents say so but I am uncomfortable that children get to have guns with the amount of gun violence in schools and shootings that minors are allowed to use guns.

[myrdale]

I don't want government regulation either. It really is parental choice. But at the same time it's like guns. I don't think minors should be allowed to operate guns and hunt. We regulate so much other stuff why can an 11 year old boy be allowed to shoot and take down an elk? I guess it's okay since the parents say so but I am uncomfortable that children get to have guns with the amount of gun violence in schools and shootings that minors are allowed to use guns.

Obviously you wouldn't hand a firearm to a 3 year old. But by the time they reach an age of 7 or 8, depending on the individuals maturity I see absolutely no problem with starting to work with them and training them to target practice with BB gun, .22, or .410 etc.

I'd be willing to bet that most of the kids you mention who hunt, were brought up around fire arms. Their parents took them out to a range and taught them gun safety. To hunt legally, requires having a hunting licenses, which chances are the state they live in requires them to have passed a hunter safety class.

And if they have shot an elk, I'd be willing to bet, 100% of them could explain to you:

You always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
You always treat the firearm like it's loaded.
You never point it at anyone or anything you don't intend to shoot.
You always know what is down range of your target.
You never put your finger on the trigger, even while your aiming, until you're ready to fire.

The number of people who commit gun crimes who have a conceal carry permit are astronomically low. I have not seen the statistics for gun crimes committed by hunters, but I would expect it to be just as low.

Part of the responsibility of owning a fire arm is keeping it secure from the reach of little hands.

I do agree kids should not be allowed to take firearms to school, but then again, we did for 4-H shooting competitions and meeting friends for going dove hunting after class.

[disneysteve]

Disneysteve yes the schools provides tablets but at least there is some supervision with an adult in the room.

You missed my point. They don't just use them in the classroom. They take them home each day. They use them to do their homework, to research assignments, to submit their work, to chat with their classmates. There isn't 24/7 supervision.

Congress should ban smart phones for under 16. In homes parents can allow kids to smart phone useage under their supervision. But once the kid leaves home make it illegal.

So you think it's okay to have a phone/computer at home, but not away from home, except in school. Do you understand that much of the bullying and other problems occur at those very places - home and school? And what if the kids are gathering outside of school to do schoolwork such as a group project, like at a friend's house or local fast food joint? They need their phones/computers to do that.

I'm not sure you realize how wildly impossible what you're suggesting actually is. Phones/computers are no longer a luxury item or a perk for kids. They are all but required to participate in life today, so much so that as I said, schools now provide every student with a computer so that everybody has one, even those who couldn't otherwise afford one.

[MichelleMark]

I don't think it would be good for smartphones to be banned from kids. It's a decision that every parent should make, and even though I don't allow my daughter to spend time on my phone(she's seven), I believe it would be a stupid law.