![]() And the apps popular with teens today were created for adults first. The problem? There’s no easy way to verify a person’s age when they sign up for apps and online services. The laws currently being proposed include blanket bans on the under-13 set when it comes to social media. But, she added, “13 is probably not the best age for kids to get on social media.” “There is not necessarily a magical age,” said Christine Elgersma, a social media expert at the nonprofit Common Sense Media. IF THE LAW WON’T BAN KIDS, SHOULD PARENTS? But neither social media companies nor the government have done anything concrete to increase the age limit. There’s bullying, harassment, the risk of developing eating disorders, suicidal thoughts or worse.įor years, there has been a push among parents, educators and tech experts to wait to give children phones - and access to social media - until they are older, such as the “Wait Until 8th” pledge that has parents sign a pledge not to give their kids a smartphone until the 8th grade, or about age 13 or 14. What are parents - and teens - supposed to do in the meantime? Here are some tips on staying safe, communicating and setting limits on social media - for kids as well as their parents.īut times have changed, and online privacy is no longer the only concern when it comes to kids being online. Now, the FTC is proposing sweeping changes to a privacy order it has with Facebook’s parent company Meta that would include prohibiting it from making money from data it collects on children.īut making laws and regulating companies takes time. Meanwhile, on Wednesday the Federal Trade Commission said Facebook misled parents and failed to protect the privacy of children using its Messenger Kids app, including misrepresenting the access it provided to app developers to private user data. It is one of several proposals in Congress seeking to make the internet safer for children and teens. It would also require permission from a guardian for users under 18 to create an account. A bipartisan group of senators recently introduced legislation aiming to prohibit all children under the age of 13 from using social media. Some are questioning whether kids should be on social media at all, and if so, starting at what age. ![]() With ever-changing algorithms pushing content at children, parents are seeing their kids’ mental health suffer, even as platforms like TikTok and Instagram provide connections with friends. When it comes to social media, families are seeking help.
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