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We see smartphones everywhere. In school hallways, at the family dinner table and plugged in at the bedside table.
But how young is too young to be constantly connected to the rest of the world through sleek apps, social media and video messaging?
One Colorado man has decided that age 13 seems like a good cutoff.
Tim Farnum is leading the charge on a proposed ballot initiative in Colorado that would be the first of its kind in the country. Farnum's proposal would ban the sale of smartphones to children younger than 13, or more likely, to parents who intend to give the smartphone to kids in that age bracket.
Farnum, a Denver-area anesthesiologist, is the founder of Parents Against Underage Smartphones, or PAUS, the nonprofit group pushing the proposal.
Source: Coloradoan.com
Also reported by: The Washington Post
Initial Fiscal Impact Statement: Colorado.gov [PDF]
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday June 20 2017, @12:37AM (4 children)
We see this kind of thing from time to time. Some person or small group of people decide they don't like the direction the world is going in. The new generation infuriates them with something/anything. So, they want to write a law, because all other parents are to stupid to see the obvious.
This Colorado dad needs to do some research. Today's kids view their smartphones as essential, and no longer view automobiles as so very essential. The world is changing.
Concerned Parents of America™ failed to stop those freaky assed Beatles and their British Invasion when I was a kid, and they'll fail to stop, or even slow, the spread of smartphones today.
(Score: 2) by frojack on Tuesday June 20 2017, @12:47AM (1 child)
Yeah, you see that from "time to time".
But every single day most of us have reason to wonder "Where are the parents??"
If you don't, why not tune in the local news on TV some evening, even if you have to watch it on your smart phone.
I suspect those kids packing guns and already addicted by 14 might trigger concern even in your free-range-kids world.
You differ from Mr Colorado only degrees.
There's very little convincing evidence that the modern trends in parenting is helping today's kids.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday June 20 2017, @12:56AM
Oh, I agree, parenting seems to be a lost art. But, asking your state legislators to take your place as parents isn't the best of all possible solutions.
(Score: 2) by AthanasiusKircher on Tuesday June 20 2017, @03:34AM
Yeah, this story really sounds like something straight of The Onion describing a "Local Man" with a really stupid idea for everyone to follow.
I actually agree with him that kids probably spend too much time on smartphones, but this proposal is just stupid, unenforceable, won't actually work, and...oh did I mention stupid?
(Score: 2) by KGIII on Tuesday June 20 2017, @03:15PM
I was going to write a long pseudo-logical rebuttal about how they were right, and we never should have let those mop tops in. I just don't have the energy to go full-on joke troll, today. I think society is doing okay, actually. Still, I wanted to quote some little known Charlie Daniels, which was the whole goal of the post I was going to write.
Imma quote it anyhow.
"There were fellas dancing and fellas kissing,
There's a fella over there wearing high heeled shoes and pantyhose."
It is his sequel to Uneasy Rider.
"So long and thanks for all the fish."