What age should people get their first cell phones?

[The Archregimancy]

Negative numbers. Throw one in the womb.

That late?

Individual spermatozoa should have a mobile phone attached to the centriole between the head and the flagellum at the moment the motile sperm cell is created.

The ovum is then equipped with a sim card, so that fertilisation allows the phone to be activated.

[Kiruri]

Negative numbers. Throw one in the womb.

That late?

Individual spermatozoa should have a mobile phone attached to the centriole between the head and the flagellum at the moment the motile sperm cell is created.

The ovum is then equipped with a sim card, so that fertilisation allows the phone to be activated.

What about wifi? I mean... being stuck with the data plan gigs kinda makes no sense nowadays

[Stagnant Axon Terminal]

For one of those talk/text only kids phones:
1. When they are frequently away from mom and dad, ie at sleepovers or when they can go around a store by themselves while parents shop

I'd say 7-10, depending on the kid

For a smartphone:
Whenever they are
1. Deemed mature enough to take care of it
2. Have demonstrated good online behavior on computers/tablets
3. Have had a long discussion with their parents about what is/isn't safe and acceptable behavior on social media.
4*. Maybe when they improve their school grades, if they aren't doing well. A little incentive.

I'd say 12-14, depending on the kid

[Aureumterra]

When the person can pay for it theirownselves

Tbh that would be enough of an incentive for kids to find ways to make money early on, making them more resourceful in general

[Lillorainen]

I had my first cell phone when I was at my first larger class trip, around 11 or 12 or something - it was a normal phone with a keyboard, and I've been extremely proud to be the first in the family who had a color display. - Yes, that was in the pre-smartphone era ... but still, it is an age I'd consider it appropriate to have a cell phone - round about, at least. It also depends on the circumstances and the level of maturity, so there are too many factors playing in for a generalizing statement. I think, that it shouldn't be too soon, especially when we're talking about smartphones (and yes, I'd consider pre-school age way too soon, at least for the use of a web-enabled device without parental control - I'd be fine with limited-access communication devices, though, if the circumstances require that), but I also wouldn't want to wait too long, for an early, but already two-figure age may be a good age to start learning to use these devices in a responsible manner, at least in theory. But as I said, it depends on the individual circumstances.
So yeah, I'm everything else but technophobic, quite on the contrary, but I do consider maturity and responsibility factors one shouldn't neglect.

[Kannap]

When the person can pay for it theirownselves

Tbh that would be enough of an incentive for kids to find ways to make money early on, making them more resourceful in general

Why stop at cellphones? Make kids buy all their toys and video games and technology themselves.

[An Alan Smithee Nation]

Negative numbers. Throw one in the womb.

That late?

Individual spermatozoa should have a mobile phone attached to the centriole between the head and the flagellum at the moment the motile sperm cell is created.

The ovum is then equipped with a sim card, so that fertilisation allows the phone to be activated.

Seems the wrong way around to me. Each sperm could have a sim card, and the one that reaches the ovum fixes which company you are with.

Still let's cut to the chase and have Youtube influencers promoting the idea of having a government chip implanted in everyone.

Thumbs up, the government liked your thought

[Diopolis]

Tbh that would be enough of an incentive for kids to find ways to make money early on, making them more resourceful in general

Why stop at cellphones? Make kids buy all their toys and video games and technology themselves.

Only toy should be tree bark.

[Stagnant Axon Terminal]

Why stop at cellphones? Make kids buy all their toys and video games and technology themselves.

Only toy should be tree bark.

You joke, but when I was a preschool teacher, one of the other teachers only allowed "organic" toys in her room. She even had blunted/sanded sticks for supervised play.

[Azad Bengal]

i got my first proper smartphone when i was like 12 or 13. around ~13 is where i'd say kids are reasonably responsible enough to be given, i mean you cant really hang with people these days without one so teens who don't are p handicapped.

[Diopolis]

Only toy should be tree bark.

You joke, but when I was a preschool teacher, one of the other teachers only allowed "organic" toys in her room. She even had blunted/sanded sticks for supervised play.

I am joking, but I genuinely don't approve of electronic toys for young(pre-school aged) children, and think plastics should be kept to a minimum. Those blunted sticks are exactly what three year olds should be playing with.

[Ifreann]

You joke, but when I was a preschool teacher, one of the other teachers only allowed "organic" toys in her room. She even had blunted/sanded sticks for supervised play.

I am joking, but I genuinely don't approve of electronic toys for young(pre-school aged) children, and think plastics should be kept to a minimum. Those blunted sticks are exactly what three year olds should be playing with.

Why play with plastics when you can whip your friends with poison ivy or find strange mushrooms and eat them.

[Ethel mermania]

Negative numbers. Throw one in the womb.

That late?

Individual spermatozoa should have a mobile phone attached to the centriole between the head and the flagellum at the moment the motile sperm cell is created.

The ovum is then equipped with a sim card, so that fertilisation allows the phone to be activated.

Kinky

[Diopolis]

I am joking, but I genuinely don't approve of electronic toys for young(pre-school aged) children, and think plastics should be kept to a minimum. Those blunted sticks are exactly what three year olds should be playing with.

Why play with plastics when you can whip your friends with poison ivy or find strange mushrooms and eat them.

Identifying usable plants is important for children to learn, yes.

[Duravia]

I think 13 is a good age to get a first cellphone. Better not to make people screen addicts too young.

[Freed Bavaria]

I got my first smart phone when I went into high school. (6 years ago) I think that it was the right time for me as I went from going to a local school to an out of town school so the communication was really what I needed.

[The New California Republic]

Negative numbers. Throw one in the womb.

That late?

Individual spermatozoa should have a mobile phone attached to the centriole between the head and the flagellum at the moment the motile sperm cell is created.

The ovum is then equipped with a sim card, so that fertilisation allows the phone to be activated.

I suppose it'd give them motivation to get there.

[Ghost Land]

Honestly it depends on the circumstances you find yourself in, if your kid has to walk to the bus stop or school on their own, give them a god damn phone. Or even if you're away for a long time while your child is still home, give them a phone. Me personally however I think no matter what a child should have a phone at least by 7th or 8th grade, mostly because I know for a fact that it's likely your kid will at least get teased about not having a phone.

That's what the landline/home phone is for!

[Dytarma]

If someone has to say, "Can I use your phone to call my mom/dad?" on a regular basis (not including cases of troubles or dead phones) then they should get a phone. That age I think is around 13-14 since they' could stay at school for sports or clubs.

[Salandriagado]

I'd say when they start working, because it is actually somewhat handy to have a computer that can fit in your pocket.

So probably either 16-17 or 18-20.

That makes sense for a smart phone. A method of contacting their parents remotely is useful far earlier.

[Nanatsu no Tsuki]

I’d start with junior high aged kids. But check how responsible they are too.

[Mirial Magna]

I'd say when they start working, because it is actually somewhat handy to have a computer that can fit in your pocket.

So probably either 16-17 or 18-20.

That makes sense for a smart phone. A method of contacting their parents remotely is useful far earlier.

That's what I mean.

As for a flip phone, probably once they start going to school.

[Cekoviu]

I think around 13 is an appropriate time. Before that is reasonable if it's needed by the kid, like if they're going to be staying home alone, babysitting, riding public transit, etc. I definitely don't think it's a good idea to place an expensive, fragile electronic device in the hands of a very small child (like younger than 7-ish), but there may be a few situations in which case it would be necessary. It's not really a big deal whether they own a phone as long as they can exercise some self-control, which is by no means a given but can also occur, so it should be judged on a case-by-case basis.

In cases where younger kids are being given access to their own personal electronic devices, I'm in favor of reasonable content filtering measures, such as by placing DNS filters on pornography, malware, and gambling content, but I don't like extremely stringent measures that invade privacy or prevent access to normal services (such as by logging all DNS requests, filtering popular websites that sometimes feature harmful content like YouTube, etc.).

[Greater vakolicci haven]

I got my first (2003 vintage) phone when I was 6, about the same time I got my first computer which lived in my room. I got my first smartphone (is an n95 a smartphone) when I was 11. First iPhone when I was like 14, but that was more because of the learning curve of using a touchscreen.

[Agarntrop]

I got my first (2003 vintage) phone when I was 6, about the same time I got my first computer which lived in my room. I got my first smartphone (is an n95 a smartphone) when I was 11. First iPhone when I was like 14, but that was more because of the learning curve of using a touchscreen.

6?!?!?!