What age should children/teens be given their first phones?

[Bluelight-R006]

Another random topic I decided that is worthy of discussion — what age should children/teens be given their first phone?

After all, children who are given phones at a young age may be addicted from then on, which gives them a headstart at possibly losing communication with parents and friends, only chatting through social media.

Then again, phones are needed to call parents or emergency services in case of new or urgent situations, like permission to go somewhere immediately, or needing to call an ambulance or police. So it’s good if independent individuals are prepared with a line of communication from afar.

I myself got my first phone at the age of 3, a Nokia. But back then I wasn’t really interested. I only became interested from 1st grade onwards, playing games. I admit I’m addicted, but not so much until I do not recognise or listen to anyone around me.

So what’s your thoughts?

[Breten]

I think that pre-teenagers shouldn't be exposed heavily to the internet, especially not through a phone. Because the internet isn't the best learning tool for children, children are easily moulded and to give them something that can teach them that there are no consequences for their actions I believe is kinda neglectful (I say that because you can go online and view some screwed up stuff as well as how easy it is to bully people without them even knowing who you are so there is no consequences that you could face)

I'm with the idea that if the child needs it before they're reaching teens and actually need a way to call emergency services or parents then go ahead, but you shouldn't be giving complete access to the internet to children that haven't learnt proper life lessons. The internet is a slippery slide and can end up going very badly, but as long as the parents are teaching the kids about how to use the internet and how to deal with awful people then it's manageable then.

[Hirota]

Depends on the child and the ability of the adults to manage the device.

I doubt most adults who give their kids an android phone knows anything about familylink, or families on IOS, for example.

I do, so I'd feel more confident giving my kids access to a phone earlier.

Assuming an average kid with average parents? Meh, 14 or 15 maybe.

[The New California Republic]

When I was at school no kids had phones.

[Aclion]

29

[Newmanistan]

10 is a good age, for a simple, older phone. It's 2019 now, and its a valuable communication tool. It's not 1992 anymore. We don't need to argue that, "I didn't need one," No, you didn't. I didn't. But we've advanced as a society, and they are an option now.

An older more up to date phone, I'd say 13 or 14 as long as they have shown the maturity.

The latest technologically advanced phone: When they are able to help pay for it.

[Risottia]

Then again, phones are needed to call parents or emergency services

That's what nearby adults are for. Also, phone booths.

in case of new or urgent situations, like permission to go somewhere immediately,

A request for permission to go somewhere isn't urgent.

or needing to call an ambulance or police.

I don't see why anyone aged less than 15-16 should be far from an adult or a phone booth anyway.

[Mzeusia]

Never. Destroy them all!

[Newmanistan]

I don't see why anyone aged less than 15-16 should be far from an adult or a phone booth anyway.

Phone booths? Most, at least where I am from, aren't maintained anymore.

[Autumn Wind]

Then again, phones are needed to call parents or emergency services

That's what nearby adults are for. Also, phone booths.

I don’t know if you’ve looked around recently, but phone booths and pay phones have almost completely disappeared.

[-Ocelot-]

No, we should bar children from using phones because they are new and strange and weird and addictive and I can't understand them so destroy them all! /s

[Bluelight-R006]

Then again, phones are needed to call parents or emergency services

That's what nearby adults are for. Also, phone booths.

in case of new or urgent situations, like permission to go somewhere immediately,

A request for permission to go somewhere isn't urgent.

or needing to call an ambulance or police.

I don't see why anyone aged less than 15-16 should be far from an adult or a phone booth anyway.

1. I honestly find it weird for children to borrow adults’ phones. But it’s okay, I Guess. Plus, in my country, phone booths are being taken out one by one.

2. If a friend suddenly asks you to go out with him to his house/recreation area after the conversation and you need permission from your parents and they ain’t there... that happens a lot here.

3. True... they could ask an adult.

[Ifreann]

Genetically engineer humans to have communications implants grow inside their heads before birth.

[Risusol]

At the age of 14, when they can be reasonable about tye correct use of them.

[The New California Republic]

At the age of 14, when they can be reasonable about tye correct use of them.

I didn't realise that looking at porno was the correct use of a phone...

[Bluelight-R006]

At the age of 14, when they can be reasonable about tye correct use of them.

I didn't realise that looking at porno was the correct use of a phone...

Face it, though. Any person with a random age no matter how young it may be may have accidental exposure to porn coming up in their feed as long as they have a phone.

[Herrebrugh]

Then again, phones are needed to call parents or emergency services

That's what nearby adults are for. Also, phone booths.

in case of new or urgent situations, like permission to go somewhere immediately,

A request for permission to go somewhere isn't urgent.

or needing to call an ambulance or police.

I don't see why anyone aged less than 15-16 should be far from an adult or a phone booth anyway.

You still have phone booths over there?

[The New California Republic]

I didn't realise that looking at porno was the correct use of a phone...

Face it, though. Any person with a random age no matter how young it may be may have accidental exposure to porn coming up in their feed as long as they have a phone.

"Accidental" exposure to porn in the case of teens. Yeah. Sure.

[Bluelight-R006]

Face it, though. Any person with a random age no matter how young it may be may have accidental exposure to porn coming up in their feed as long as they have a phone.

"Accidental" exposure to porn in the case of teens. Yeah. Sure.

I like that sarcasm. But seriously, back in Grade 6, a bunch of my classmates went and showed some Grade 5 students a little porn. Funny how they didn’t get reported.

[Abarri]

I got my first phone at age 9. I never brought it to school, and it was only good for texts, calls, and a game of Bounce.

Since smartphones are now commonplace, I'd say 12 and up. That is what I think. Yes, the number is a piece of guesswork.

[Risottia]

I don't see why anyone aged less than 15-16 should be far from an adult or a phone booth anyway.

Phone booths? Most, at least where I am from, aren't maintained anymore.

Seriously? Meh.
I guess one can still walk into a shop and ask for the phone.

I didn't realise that looking at porno was the correct use of a phone...

Face it, though. Any person with a random age no matter how young it may be may have accidental exposure to porn coming up in their feed as long as they have a phone.

I had a lot of porn way before the web was even a thing, and way before coming of age.

1. I honestly find it weird for children to borrow adults’ phones.

It's an easy way to lessen phone abuse by kids.

2. If a friend suddenly asks you to go out with him to his house/recreation area after the conversation and you need permission from your parents and they ain’t there... that happens a lot here.

Then the answer is "not today, but tomorrow will be fine if my parents give me permission tonight".

[Greater vakolicci haven]

Until the point where phones have gotten to the point where I really don't need the very latest phone anymore, I can honestly say that I always had the most modern phones. I had the latest nokia smartphone aged 10 (in 2007), and then progressed to the latest iPhone, via a few other nokias. The only reason I stuck with nokia for so long is because accessibility was so shit on iphones at the very start.

I have never had any form of parental controls on internet use, and now offer help to people trying to get rid of them, I don't believe in them.

[Bluelight-R006]

Face it, though. Any person with a random age no matter how young it may be may have accidental exposure to porn coming up in their feed as long as they have a phone.

I had a lot of porn way before the web was even a thing, and way before coming of age.

It may be normal to teenagers, but more specifically I’m talking about the ones below 11-12... those who are still ‘innocent,’ though I’d be shocked if porn is normal to such young ones. It’s not in my area, though.

[Risottia]

I had a lot of porn way before the web was even a thing, and way before coming of age.

It may be normal to teenagers, but more specifically I’m talking about the ones below 11-12... those who are still ‘innocent,’ though I’d be shocked if porn is normal to such young ones. It’s not in my area, though.

Dude, I mean printed porn and I was 7.

[Greater vakolicci haven]

Phone booths? Most, at least where I am from, aren't maintained anymore.

Seriously? Meh.
I guess one can still walk into a shop and ask for the phone.

Face it, though. Any person with a random age no matter how young it may be may have accidental exposure to porn coming up in their feed as long as they have a phone.

I had a lot of porn way before the web was even a thing, and way before coming of age.

1. I honestly find it weird for children to borrow adults’ phones.

It's an easy way to lessen phone abuse by kids.

2. If a friend suddenly asks you to go out with him to his house/recreation area after the conversation and you need permission from your parents and they ain’t there... that happens a lot here.

Then the answer is "not today, but tomorrow will be fine if my parents give me permission tonight".

You can't just go into a shop...and ask to use the phone, that would be seen as very, very weird over here.

You must have been a very obedient kid or had very strict parents, from the age of about 10 I would have just texted or emailed them to tell them I was going to x place and would be back at x time and whether I was eating food there or wanted tea at home etc. As long as I didn't go on any unexplained disappearances they were fine with it.