Can the ban on smartphones curtail peer pressure?

[Liliana1304]

 I'd like to know your takes on this matter because I found it a little over the top and a bit late, I don't know if I've got similar thinkers. So the question is; do you think a ban on smartphones for kids and early teenagers till they get to certain age help retain a little of their innocence? Can it help bridge the gap peer pressure has on our young ones?
 
The teachers in Greystones, a town in Ireland, decided that the best way to retain a little innocence amongst their kids is by saying 'no' to smartphones.
Now while the importance of smartphones can't be overemphasize especially as it can help with homeworks and all that, it can also be a go-to spot for unhealthy vices like a chronic dependence on social media, games and even adult material.

They also believe that by adopting a town wide policy, it would reduce the chance of a child having a peer who has a smartphone and it can inturn stop peer pressure.
This looks a bit funny as from my pov i see it as delaying the inevitable.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jun/03/much-easier-to-say-no-irish-town-unites-in-smartphone-ban-for-young-children

[Hispo]

I can see benefits on such measure. It could help children to develop a better self esteem and perception of reality. It just takes a look at social media like Instagram where people only post idealized stuff and artificial beauty, that kind of content is very damaging for a person who is developing their personality, in my opinion.

Even though, later they will end up using a smarthphone anyways when they get up to some age, they will hopefully have the madurity to digest anything they could see on internet.

[yhiaali3]

It's not funny at all, I agree with this good decision and see it as very positive for children.

I have two young children who play with mobile phones all hours of the day and they started accessing Facebook, YouTube, etc. and started learning things that I don't want them to learn at the moment.

It is true that in the end it is inevitable for them to see these things, but at least they have grown up a little and are beginning to realize the seriousness of these bad things.

[Liliana1304]

But from what I gathered in the news, it restricts children from the age of 8-9 from using smartphones and I believe this is the age bracket of Gen z who are characterized as digitally smart.

The use of smartphones have been banned, what about laptops? Won't these vices be gotten on there?

[Newlifebtc]

It is basically depends on the government and what kind of corruption smart foods contribute to newborn babies and their outgoing babies in that particular country burning smartphone to get 2 starting age before they can be able to use a phone is not encouraging because in university and the other School children is being teach to know technology through Internet,using of phone is one of the things that will make children to be very smart and  understand every smart things in future time

[blockman]

That's how I've been raised but until I talked to my parents that I need to have it so that they have a contact on me wherever I go. I think it will still go case to case basis. If the kids are too naughty and they are overwhelmed with the technology like having smartphones and they're not using it the right way, I guess that's all these parents have to do and that's to ban them until they grow up to the right age.

But from what I gathered in the news, it restricts children from the age of 8-9 from using smartphones and I believe this is the age bracket of Gen z who are characterized as digitally smart.

The use of smartphones have been banned, what about laptops? Won't these vices be gotten on there?

Aside from the ban, there should be patronizing as per the usage of these devices and gadgets on how many hours they should be used. It's needed for research and studies but if they're not using it appropriately then their parents will be forced not to allow them to use it.

[Doan9269]

They also believe that by adopting a town wide policy, it would reduce the chance of a child having a peer who has a smartphone and it can inturn stop peer pressure.

Take the full delivery of being responsible for your children, you can't continue to prevent them from external influence but the training you give them will serve a guide to them whenever they are not under your territory, they cannot continue to be under us as parents, there will come a time they will have to be independent and live on their own, think for themselves and make decisions on what is right from whatever is wrong, we won't be there, but we will see the results and the consequences showing in their lives.

[Wiwo]

But from what I gathered in the news, it restricts children from the age of 8-9 from using smartphones and I believe this is the age bracket of Gen z who are characterized as digitally smart.

The use of smartphones has been banned, what about laptops? Won't these vices be gotten on there?

Where and how was the use of smartphone ban between the age bracket you mentioned because I have not read anything close to this on the news today or the previous week.

But then this step may help in reducing kids over dependence on social media and other online content to make sense out of the growing process, it may have both a bad side and good side on the kids because we also have some early education devices that help kids learn some basic things.

[OgNasty]

Adopting this as a town wide policy is a bit unusual, but I can understand that there are people out there who think this is a good idea. As long as an overwhelming majority of residents feel this way, I don’t have any problem with this being the type of thing that is done in a small area. People should be able to live all sorts of ways and have places for it without infringing on the rest of our rights.

[Queentoshi]

This looks a bit funny as from my pov i see it as delaying the inevitable.

You can actually see it as delaying the inevitable, but that delay for the inevitable can actually help a child have better control of themself. A child who developes a form of addiction or under peer pressure that resulted from exposure to smartphones, that child will find it difficult to get themselves under control and free from that addiction on time or be confident in themselves and strong enough to not be susceptible to peer pressure. The situation is very much possible not to be the same for a child that does not have an early access to freedom on the internet. The internet is good for information but control of what your child sees on the internet through that smartphone is very important.

[Die_empty]

But from what I gathered in the news, it restricts children from the age of 8-9 from using smartphones and I believe this is the age bracket of Gen z who are characterized as digitally smart.

The use of smartphones have been banned, what about laptops? Won't these vices be gotten on there?

I support this initiative because it will cause more good than harm. Sometimes children act in a very strange manner that will make you wonder where they learned it from because nobody has ever acted that way at home or in school. Children at age 8-9 need to be protected from this unacceptable content in social media because this is an important formative stage of their life. My children are always using our phones to watch movies and play games and I will not be surprised if they have been exposed to content that is above their level. These children are still young and can be easily influenced by what they see, they need to be protected. And when they learn it, it could be easily transfered to their peers. This is because children learn faster from their friends than from adults.

Laptops can be easily monitored and the screen is big for a parent to view the content of what a child is watching, but with phones that can keep those contents private. Parents should ensure that they monitor the use of laptops and phones. The high rate of suicide and mass shootings can be traced to social media, so we need to take necessary precautions.

[LTU_btc]

From what I understood that's even law imposed, but just voluntarily initiative in that tow. So, I think it's pointless thing.
C'mon, it's not even about children who are going to primary school, most of them start to use smartphones much earlier, maybe being 3-4 years old. And it's parents responsibility that they give smartphones to their children so early and completely don't control what they're doing with it.
Personally, I don't like that current generation often don't have their lifes outside their phones, but it's new reality. But very often their parents acting as bad example for their children. Like it or not, but many of us also don't release phones from our hands.

[purinZ14]

With or without smartphones, kids are still easily subjected to peer pressure. I do agree that banning smartphones would just be delaying the inevitable. They would be later on exposed to other kids/influences even without the presence of the internet. If this can be effectively applied to everyone, then perhaps peer pressure would be lessen but if this is only applied to a kid or two, the feeling of missing out will just intensify thus still ending up with peer pressure.

[Liliana1304]

Personally, I don't like that current generation often don't have their lifes outside their phones, but it's new reality. But very often their parents acting as bad example for their children. Like it or not, but many of us also don't release phones from our hands.

It's sad. Compared to the good old days where the best place to seek information is the library but technology has and is slowly making it obsolete. Now I'm not against advancement and all that but kids dependence on it is alarming. But still, placing a ban for me is not going to change anything.

Where and how was the use of smartphone ban between the age bracket you mentioned because I have not read anything close to this on the news today or the previous week.

It's on the link I provided. You can see it for yourself.

[LTU_btc]

It's sad. Compared to the good old days where the best place to seek information is the library but technology has and is slowly making it obsolete. Now I'm not against advancement and all that but kids dependence on it is alarming. But still, placing a ban for me is not going to change anything.

Yeah, I remember my childhood when there was no smartphones and only beginning of mobile phones. It was such good times and current kids won't experience all things that we experienced. Now if you will tell kids to look for information in books, they will look into you - dude, why I should, Google will tell the answer.

[montaga]

Opposite attracts, smartphones for slow persons, dumbphones for humans.

[Majestic-milf]

 It's a good thing the teachers are trying to achieve if you ask me because it still shows that teachers are concerned for the wellbeing of the students. It's appalling a thing the way kids are so lost in their phones that parents feel they are sitting with robots at the table.
 Granted, the op sees this as a waste of time or delaying the inevitable but what I see is at that point, when it's time to return the phones, you have set before them choices whether to indulge in those acts or have a form of restraint and control or allow these vices get the better of them.

[coolcoinz]

It's sad. Compared to the good old days where the best place to seek information is the library but technology has and is slowly making it obsolete. Now I'm not against advancement and all that but kids dependence on it is alarming. But still, placing a ban for me is not going to change anything.

Yeah, I remember my childhood when there was no smartphones and only beginning of mobile phones. It was such good times and current kids won't experience all things that we experienced. Now if you will tell kids to look for information in books, they will look into you - dude, why I should, Google will tell the answer.

I guess you were born in the late 80s, early 90s. Great times! I was born in the 80s myself and I remember the times times when we would get together with friends and have fun outside. We'd play ball, chase each other, race remote controlled cars, shoot water guns and then go back home to watch cartoons before going to bed. Best times of my life.

Nowadays kids don't even talk. They go outside, sit on benches and write each other messages on facebook or play games on their phones. They can't even talk like normal people just answer with gifs and memes.

[Gyfts]

Parents should've been the ones to handle a situation like this, not the government. Though, provision would disallow smartphones until the child reaches secondary school -- doesn't like a terrible idea considering smartphones rot the brains of adults, much less children.

[LTU_btc]

I guess you were born in the late 80s, early 90s. Great times! I was born in the 80s myself and I remember the times times when we would get together with friends and have fun outside. We'd play ball, chase each other, race remote controlled cars, shoot water guns and then go back home to watch cartoons before going to bed. Best times of my life.

Nowadays kids don't even talk. They go outside, sit on benches and write each other messages on facebook or play games on their phones. They can't even talk like normal people just answer with gifs and memes.

Mid 90s. My gneration is probably last one who had real childhood. Only good memories from these times. I'm not against technologies and development, but you should use it in right way. Facebook or games on smartphone isn't worst thing. I think that Tik Tok with all stupid videos is worst thing and it makes real damage to brain.