While the ideal age for children to use smartphones may vary between families, Bill Gates' perspective comes from someone with a broader vision of the technology world that people can learn from. In an interview, Bill Gates revealed some of the standards he maintains with his three children when it comes to technology.
According to billionaire Bill Gates, the most appropriate age for children to start using smartphones is 14.
First, none of them could buy a phone before turning 14. These three children are now 20, 17, and 14 years old. But even after being allowed to own smartphones, two other rules still apply. His children cannot bring smartphones to the dinner table and cannot use them for homework or studying. Furthermore, they are forbidden from bringing any Apple products into the house.
While Bill Gates and other parents set specific ages for their children to use smartphones, others point out that there are more factors to consider than age. For example, James P. Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that reviews content and products for families, says he has strict rules on this matter with his children, but also takes other things into account. He explains, "No two children are alike, and there's no magic number. A child's age is less important than their responsibility or level of maturity."
When should children be allowed to use smartphones?
In a recent publication, PBS Kids for Parent listed several questions parents or guardians might ask themselves before deciding to buy a smartphone for their child. These include:
- Do children "need" physical contact for safety reasons?
- Do they understand the concept of time limits and app download limits?
- Can they ensure they don't text in class, interrupt other people's conversations, and use text, photo, and video features responsibly?
- Do they really need a smartphone that also functions as a music player, a portable music and video player?
- Do they need something that provides location information to their friends (and possibly some strangers), as some newer apps require?
Despite various preventative measures, experts point out that the most important thing is to maintain dialogue with children and impose healthy limits on smartphone use time. For young children, users are also provided with child monitoring apps to protect them from online threats.
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