Great article and so on point. Meta should absolutely be held accountable and set those age restrictions in their apps. Also - parents are the first line of preventative defense. I have four kids. None of them are allowed social media accounts until they are 18, and zero internet access on their phones. Full stop.
We explain why, help them understand the risks, and what we’re protecting them from. We set restrictions and time limits on their phones for every thing else. We view their usage, and we go through their phones on a regular basis to make sure they’re safe and making good choices. If something comes up, we sit down with them and have a discussion. It’s not fear based, it’s built on honesty.
Is it time consuming? Absolutely. Is my child’s mental well being and safety worth it? Absolutely.
Stop being friends to your children, be their parent. When they become healthy adults, then the friendship begins.
Thanks for this post. Very well written and researched. I appreciate your efforts. Thank you, Jess, for introducing us to another great writer. 👏🏼
I'm glad to be in the "Xenial" generation who can still remember a time with no internet, no cell phones, no "screens." I wish our kids could experience that.
Me too. Adventure is so critical to the human experience and the phones make everything third person. It’s not just the dopamine hits, or the easy access at terrible stuff, it’s the distancing from the tangible. I want to refuse the idea that we can’t go back…but that seems impossible given its deeply intertwined grip on our whole operation as a society. I’d go back to the BMX nights of 1985 anytime.
Just finished reading "Careless People" by a woman who worked for Facebook.It was pretty horrifying. Thanks for this excellent article and once again Idaho, led the way.
Not all girls- some boys with gender dysphoria are also encouraged to sexually expose themselves online as well. From what I've heard, it's to older men. These young people are impressionable. It's all bad.
I retired from teaching 3 years ago. Parents are actually the problem when we took phones out of the classrooms. Parents want instant access to their kids and demand that kids be able to contact them when they are "anxious" or "stressed" at school. Parents must step up and say no to allowing their kids free range on devices. It is atrocious.
App stores are filled with apps that compete with Facebook for user time. This looks like another example of established industry players trying to use regulation to squeeze the competition.
Great article and so on point. Meta should absolutely be held accountable and set those age restrictions in their apps. Also - parents are the first line of preventative defense. I have four kids. None of them are allowed social media accounts until they are 18, and zero internet access on their phones. Full stop.
We explain why, help them understand the risks, and what we’re protecting them from. We set restrictions and time limits on their phones for every thing else. We view their usage, and we go through their phones on a regular basis to make sure they’re safe and making good choices. If something comes up, we sit down with them and have a discussion. It’s not fear based, it’s built on honesty.
Is it time consuming? Absolutely. Is my child’s mental well being and safety worth it? Absolutely.
Stop being friends to your children, be their parent. When they become healthy adults, then the friendship begins.
Thanks for this post. Very well written and researched. I appreciate your efforts. Thank you, Jess, for introducing us to another great writer. 👏🏼
Same! Parents should be parents, not Google or Apple. Take. The. Damn. Phone. Away!
Yes! 🙌🏼 👏🏼
If I could unwind one thing we’ve done as a society it would be these phones. The digital life is a dying one.
I'm glad to be in the "Xenial" generation who can still remember a time with no internet, no cell phones, no "screens." I wish our kids could experience that.
We are so lucky
Me too. Adventure is so critical to the human experience and the phones make everything third person. It’s not just the dopamine hits, or the easy access at terrible stuff, it’s the distancing from the tangible. I want to refuse the idea that we can’t go back…but that seems impossible given its deeply intertwined grip on our whole operation as a society. I’d go back to the BMX nights of 1985 anytime.
I've been thinking all week about this, Aaron. It's so true.
Just finished reading "Careless People" by a woman who worked for Facebook.It was pretty horrifying. Thanks for this excellent article and once again Idaho, led the way.
Idaho is tip of the spear! Thanks for reading.
By the way, I did NOT create the hyperlink to Facebook.
The hyperlink is because there is no space after the period....
Thank you for this excellent article. Parents Hold the Power is all anyone needs to realize.
Idaho good job! Other states must follow suit. Meta should be accountable. Our youth needs support from all directions. Stay safe Jessica.
Great article! And now I very much want to read the long form story of the Jessica/Brian friendship!
I think that story deserves a podcast (at least)!
Obviously
It's so good!! I have great photos that go with it.
I have none, this should be fun.
Meta means Dead in Hebrew, so there's that.
😳
yikes
Not all girls- some boys with gender dysphoria are also encouraged to sexually expose themselves online as well. From what I've heard, it's to older men. These young people are impressionable. It's all bad.
I retired from teaching 3 years ago. Parents are actually the problem when we took phones out of the classrooms. Parents want instant access to their kids and demand that kids be able to contact them when they are "anxious" or "stressed" at school. Parents must step up and say no to allowing their kids free range on devices. It is atrocious.
App stores are filled with apps that compete with Facebook for user time. This looks like another example of established industry players trying to use regulation to squeeze the competition.
Yep… all under the guise of “it’s for the children” (Michael Jackson’s favorite excuse too, and look how that turned out).
how to get on X? so important