Mobile Phones and Children: A Discussion

Children under 16 shouldn’t be allowed to have mobile phones. They are a distraction from studies and an impediment to social interaction. Read the text.

These days it is difficult to think of a world without mobile phones. Many people have more than one, and some people spend half their lives on the phone. You also see more and more young children with mobile phones. Some might find this a worrying trend, but in my opinion, regarding modern society’s obsession with technology, there should be an age limit for owning a mobile phone, but I would put that limit at 8 or 9 years old, not 16. Whoever believes that teenagers shouldn’t have access to a mobile phone is out of touch with modern society.

Mobile phones are a necessary part of a teenager’s life. By using text messages and apps such as ‘WhatsApp’, modern teenagers build up social networks which are more enriching than hanging around on street corners. Mobile phones are a source of information. Most teenagers access the internet via their mobile phones, and instead of being a distraction from studies, they are actually a study aid. Owning a mobile phone is a form of security. Once upon a time, parents didn’t know where their kids were if they hadn’t arrived home at the expected time. These days, a quick phone call can put parents’ minds at rest.

There should be an age limit for mobile phones, in my opinion. Children under the age of 8 or 9 should not have unlimited access to a mobile phone for security reasons. They are not old enough to know the risks involved in being part of social networks. While this is also true for a 10 or 12-year-old, I would reply to this argument by saying that we are now living in a world where technology is essential. It is normal for children to be in contact with technology at a young age. The idea that mobile phones are an impediment to social interaction is not true. Teenagers have contact with huge groups of friends via their mobile phones; they are an aid to social interaction.

I would say that I am in complete disagreement with the idea that mobile phones should only be available to over 16s. It goes against modern trends in society and is based on the misconception that mobile phones isolate teenagers from society. In the future, communication and information technology will be connected to almost everything we do, so it is futile to try and stop teenagers from coming into contact with it.

Key Arguments

• Age Limit: The debate around setting an appropriate age for mobile phone ownership.
• Social Interaction: Whether mobile phones enhance or hinder social development.
• Educational Tool: The role of mobile phones as study aids.
• Security: Mobile phones as a means of ensuring children’s safety.
• Modern Society: The integration of technology into everyday life.