President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama have strict rules when it comes to technology. The couple hold firm to their “no television on school nights” rule, and remain true to the “computer use is for academic advancement” regulation. Although the Obamas do not believe that a child’s world should revolve around electronics, they did opt to give Malia,13, a cell phone when she was 12 years old.
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Intended for emergencies only, the cell phone came with several ordinances including no mobile use during the week and no Facebook access until 17. Malia’s phone is also monitored by the Secret Service, and she didn’t gain access to it until after hearing Michelle’s lecture on safety.
As Mrs Obama explains on ABC’s Live with Kelly: “A cellphone is a lot of responsibility. As I told Malia, ‘your friends can now contact you without me knowing…. I don’t know if you have fools for friends or whether they’re nutty. That means you have to have a heightened level of responsibility when it comes to this stuff.'”
While some parents talk with their children about the dangers of Internet use, few discuss the perils that come with having a cell phone. Do you think that such precaution is necessary? Should parents talk with kids about potential dangers surrounding cell phone use? And, how young is too young to own a mobile device?
