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I would actually be completely in favor on a ban on smartphone usage until about 16 years of age; which is also the age of consent in the majority of US states.

I would actually be completely in favor on a ban on smartphone usage until about 16 years of age; which is also the age of consent in the majority of US states. Kids under 16 can possess a flip phone. It would be better for their mental health, encourage a longer childhood, reduce all kinds of social pressure, prevent TikTok-style inappropriate content serving [1] and pedophiles grooming, etc. The world is not going to set on fire if kids under 16 can't have smart phones. Every generation before now grew up and lived without them. My parents grew up without them. At 16 you are significantly more mentally capable than a 12 year old at dealing with pressure, or a stranger who thinks you are pretty. Your impulse control is also stronger, which helps prevent a vicious addiction cycle. [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35932387 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35932387

boring_twenties 3y ago
How do you define smartphone vs. tablet vs. dumbphone? Where does a laptop with an LTE radio fit in?
- gjsman-1000 3y ago
  Easy. "No child under 16 years of age shall possess any device with a screen smaller than 7", or any device with a screen under 11" which contains a LTE radio, unless the device's screen is no larger than 3" (edit:) and has a physical numeric keyboard without alphabetic characters." There you go. Devices smaller than 7" (all smartphones) are banned. 7"-11" devices are permitted if there is no LTE radio (school tablets). Dumb phones almost always have screens 3" or less in size and are permitted, while anything to do with social media would be almost unusable at that size, let alone bashing out letter-by-letter on the solely numeric number pad. And as for why smartphones specifically, smartphones are much, much harder to control impulsively. The average American checks their phone 96 times per day, and unlocks it over 150 times per day. How many times does the average American have trouble unlocking their laptop constantly per day? Laptop usage is far more deliberate and intentional than smartphone usage.
mordae 3y ago
Why? Just ban the social media use below that age. And then enforce it by fining parents.
- gjsman-1000 3y ago
  Because it would be unenforceable. What are you going to do? Unlock every child's phone for random inspection to see if they have sideloaded social media apps or not? What if they have a custom launcher that hides the apps? Much easier and far, far more enforceable to say "under 16 + smartphone = seize and fine."

boring_twenties 3y ago

How do you define smartphone vs. tablet vs. dumbphone? Where does a laptop with an LTE radio fit in?

gjsman-1000 3y ago
Easy. "No child under 16 years of age shall possess any device with a screen smaller than 7", or any device with a screen under 11" which contains a LTE radio, unless the device's screen is no larger than 3" (edit:) and has a physical numeric keyboard without alphabetic characters." There you go. Devices smaller than 7" (all smartphones) are banned. 7"-11" devices are permitted if there is no LTE radio (school tablets). Dumb phones almost always have screens 3" or less in size and are permitted, while anything to do with social media would be almost unusable at that size, let alone bashing out letter-by-letter on the solely numeric number pad. And as for why smartphones specifically, smartphones are much, much harder to control impulsively. The average American checks their phone 96 times per day, and unlocks it over 150 times per day. How many times does the average American have trouble unlocking their laptop constantly per day? Laptop usage is far more deliberate and intentional than smartphone usage.

mordae 3y ago

Why? Just ban the social media use below that age. And then enforce it by fining parents.

gjsman-1000 3y ago
Because it would be unenforceable. What are you going to do? Unlock every child's phone for random inspection to see if they have sideloaded social media apps or not? What if they have a custom launcher that hides the apps? Much easier and far, far more enforceable to say "under 16 + smartphone = seize and fine."