The French President said he will ban social media use for kids under 15yo. What do you think of that?

@Starcrossed Is it not worth trying for our children?

@emiliya It's up to the parents to monitor their decisions, not the government.

@adhane05 How far do you take this view?

@emiliya I let my child have monitored select social media accounts to socialize with a few friends. I'd rather teach responsible social media access than to watch my kid get victimized as an 15/18 yr old who was never taught to be media cautious and savvy.

@Starcrossed You can teach your child how to use technology without the use of social media. Social media has little use to the child. It has little use to the adult too. I use this site and another site for debating. I do not understand the appeal of the rest of it.

“. I'd rather teach responsible social media access than to watch my kid get victimized as an 15/18 yr old who was never taught to be media cautious and savvy.”

It is a problem if your child is being “victimized” for not using social media. This is not a behavior that should be encouraged among those doing the “victimizing.” We also need to teach our children to resist peer pressure. What happens when they are bullied for not consuming alcohol? What happens when they are bullied for not engaging in carnal relations? Or taking drugs? Come on now. We have a duty to teach our children to be moral and to “say no.” Popularity belongs to the superficial. Popularity tends to fade. Coercion from peers can destroy.

@emiliya no offense but I'm not letting a 22-25 yr old tell me how and how not I should raise my child. I was much older than you when I had her. Much older and wiser than I was at 22-25.

@emiliya You seem to have forgotten what it was like being an adolescent. They do not and probably cannot resist peer pressure. To them, their popularity and reputation is everything.
It would be nice if parents could protect their kids from the realities of life but in a lot of ways, they eventually have to make their own mistakes.

I remember when my generation were kids, any rules imposed on us, we just took it as, "So we have to find ways to sneak." I imagine our parents knew but what could they do? The more the world tries to restrain kids from doing what they want, the more they will rebel.

When you asked @adhane05 how far he takes that view - the truth is, NO parent wants the government to dictate how we should conduct our families or lives.

@Punches I was raped by an older boy on a number of occasions between six and seven. I had to grow up. Succumbing to the ideas and whims of the surrounding kids had no appeal to me. My mother was a journalist with a degree in history and my father a mathematician. They taught me to think about other matters. And they were religious. I was loyal to my family. We can all be rebellious to some extent, but I tend to go in the direction the others are not going in.

You forget that parents have a duty to protect their children.


What if a parent, family member, or friend of the family wants to abuse their child? Where do you draw the line? I see social media as neglect. When the parents allow their children to use social media, especially use it often, they are neglecting their child.

@emiliya That is one thing, but the govt likes to over-reach with other things.

The govt has a bad habit of starting by saying they are protecting the children (seldom the truth) but then eventually use those same laws against adults.

EVERY person in their early 20's thinks they are wiser than what they really are. It's okay, I remember when I was 21, I thought I was worldly and wise.

I got upset when "old" people pointed out otherwise.

It works like this - When we start to learn something new, we THINK we know it all because we have no clue how much there is yet to learn. We gain a little knowledge and think, "This is easy, I got this!"

@Punches Seat belts were once considered “overreach.” Car seats for our babies were called overreach too. They were seen as expensive and unnecessary by many. Some of what the state does helps us and saves lives; some of it does not. I do not see the harm in introducing a ban on social media for children under the age of fifteen. In what world is this going to harm the child? It is not harmful and it is not detrimental to the family. The parents are not being undermined. This kind of law ought to strengthen the family and encourage parents to be more involved in the lives of their children. A parent should supervise their children on the internet. Why is this contentious to you?

@emiliya Yes parents should supervise their kids on the web BUT no parent is going to have the time nor desire to hover 24/7. The moment a parent has to turn their back...
When the cat is away, the mice will play.

They can make all the laws and barricades they want, kids will find ways around it.
I do agree that a lot of social media probably is bad for, well, anyone, but it cannot be stopped.
Technology is ahead of the law and always has been.

One measure that they will likely use - one would have to upload a picture of their ID or somehow upload it to prove they are of age. People, especially young people, will just find ways around that.

People love it when they can transfer responsibility and blame onto the govt for why their kids are such a mess, UNTIL the govt's solution also restricts the parents. Then suddenly, hollers about privacy and rights happen.

I guess it is not possible now but I wonder what your arguments would be on this if you yourself were under whatever hypothetical age to use social media. I will give you this - I know your arguments would be strong.

@Punches Why would they not have the desire?


Dum felis dormit, mus gaudet et exsilit antro.

The real cats we are talking about are the pedophiles on the internet who are hunting children. They are vicious cats, vicious predators.

How will they find ways around ID requirement?

“I guess it is not possible now but I wonder what your arguments would be on this if you yourself were under whatever hypothetical age to use social media. I will give you this - I know your arguments would be strong.”

I had no interest in the sites most of the teenagers seem to enjoy. I am told I could be a model, but I never wanted to show myself off. Girls and boys are harmed by what they see on the internet. The internet can be used for great things. It can be used for knowledge. What happens when it is used by pedophiles, and used to make children more confused, more shallow, and unhappy? A child has no business being on social media.

Social media [messenger kids] was the only social outlet my child had during covid lockdown.

Using discord in 7th grade was the only way my kid could continue keeping in contact with her best friend who moved away.

Using social media was how my kid sold products to raise money for their scout troop.

Using social media is how my under 15 yr old connects with her girl scout troop mates as they work through earning their Silver Award.