The Average Age For a Child Getting Their First Smartphone Is Now 10.3 Years (techcrunch.com)

An anonymous reader writes: A TechCrunch article, citing a report on Influence Central, states that the average age for a child getting their smartphone is now 10.3 years. The report adds that 64% of kids have access to the Internet via their own laptop or tablet, compared to just 42% in 2012. Also, 39% of kids get a social media account at 11.4 years, and 11% get a social media account when they were younger than 10.

Comments

This worries me

[tom229]

My son is 3 and I have another on the way. This stuff really concerns me. When I was growing up I had to work a fast food job just to afford what we call a "dumb" phone now - at age 16. My sons will have, in their pocket, full access to the breadth of the internet by the age of 10, or be social outcasts for not. What does this mean for their generation? I like to be optimistic, but it can't be good.

Re:This worries me

[FlyHelicopters]

I have a 10 year old son right now, he will be 11 in a few months.

He doesn't have a smart phone and isn't getting one until he is 16.

He also doesn't have unlimited access to the Internet at home and for the time being, I can control that. In a few years it will be harder to control, but it has to come off at some point.

Giving a 10 year old unlimited access to the Internet at 10 is beyond stupid, most kids can't handle it and it won't end well.

Yes, there are exceptions, but they are the exceptions that prove the rule. Just remember that you're the Dad, not society, so do what you think is right for your kids, everyone else be dammed.

Re:This worries me

[wbr1]

There is an order of magnitude difference between TV. Or the works of Beethoven, and everything mankind has done or knows or lies about. The good and the bad. Beheadings, or Bartók, it's all there for good or ill. I won't guess what the net effect will be, but there is no substitute for parenting. Don't use the radio, or the TV, or the phone as a babysitter with no other input. THAT is the recipe for disaster.

*Facepalm*

[eepok]

I will not trust my child with a private computer, digital camera, or cell phone until high school. And even then, it will be for very low values of "trust". I was young. I know what we would have done with those tools had we had them. I'm not letting my child's life get screwed up by such indiscretions.

Want photos? Excellent. Here's a camera, film, and some batteries. Remember, these will have to be developed down the street.
Want to use the computer. Fine. It's my computer. My lock down. And it's in the dining room.
Want to use a phone to call someone? Cool. Here's the land line.
*Need* a cell phone? Alright, here's one with three buttons: Mom, Dad, and Police.
Oh, you bought one yourself? Neat! It's mine now.

You hate me? I'm so very sad. No child has ever hated a parent before.

The decay of society right there

[damn_registrars]

Also, 39% of kids get a social media account at 11.4 years, and 11% get a social media account when they were younger than 10.

We are letting the personal information of children be sold for profit. This is a more certain sign of the decay of society than most that I can think of. It doesn't matter how harmless some people may think this is, the bigger problem is that most people don't think of that problem at all. They sign little Johnnie up for a facebook account so that he can see Grandma's wall, and pretty soon Johnnie's personal events are being sold to every company you can think of.

Re:Hmm.....

[fluffernutter]

The issue is that a kid should be experiencing life a little bit before they learn to distract it away with a phone? I know if my kids had smartphones that would be the end of conversations in the car and at restaurants and I happen to like talking to my kids.