The EU says Meta may not be doing enough to protect kids.
  • TheDarksteel94@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    234·
    7 months ago

    Lol, good luck trying to control everything around your child and what it consumes as a parent. Pretty much impossible, especially nowadays.

    • 0x0@programming.devEnglish
      74·
      7 months ago

      So just say Fuck it, everyone else can do it instead… and then moan about your children being addicted?

      I’m not excusing Meta here, but parents should definitely not be excused of the responsibility or raising their kids.

      • TheDarksteel94@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        11·
        7 months ago

        Oh no, definitely do something as a parent, like lock some apps or something. But with stuff like social media it’s almost impossible to keep your kids away from it, especially without government intervention. Pretty sure some kids nowadays also just get bullied into using social media, even if they’re not interested in it. I mean, kids get bullied over not having any Fortnite skins…

        • Mkengine@feddit.deEnglish
          2·
          7 months ago

          I have often thought about how I will do this with my child. Fortunately, I still have some time before this becomes relevant, but in the end it’s like politics, isn’t it? It’s always about the tug of war between safety and freedom. As a father, I naturally pull in the direction of safety, but how hard can I pull? I don’t know if I’m too naive, but maybe I can achieve a better result with education than with bans? If I ban something, my children should understand why there is a ban or restriction. I would also be prepared to engage in a discussion because I naturally think differently to my child. I hope that I will do everything right, I hated it as a child when there were bans without justification.

          • TheDarksteel94@sopuli.xyzEnglish
            2·
            7 months ago

            You’re absolutely right! I feel like sometimes you need to pull your kids in the direction you think is right for them. And I think if a parent does a really good job at explaining why things are the way they are and at giving their kids a good understanding of right and wrong, then those kids will figure out a lot of stuff on their own very quickly.

            I just see two extremes way too often when I go out:

            1. Patents who let their kids do whatever and don’t establish themselves as a figure or trust and guidance.

            2. Parents who take it too far into the other direction and force their own beliefs on their kids, maybe even passing on their own trauma.

            Neither one is good imo. But also, keep in mind that sometimes (young) kids just ask questions to get a certain reaction out of you lol

    • Obinice@lemmy.worldEnglish
      59·
      7 months ago

      That’s pretty much the definition of the job of parent. To control everything around the child and how they interact with things.

      It’s not any more difficult than it ever was. For one thing, don’t give kids a smartphone until they’re at least 13, they have no need for one before then.

      Similarly, up to that age, they should be taught how to use a computer and the internet, but only in a closely monitored, safe manner.

      After 13 or there abouts, they are given more freedom and more responsibility to go along with it, and hopefully have been raised well enough to respect that.

      From there, limitations and guide rails will remain in place, be it a traditional curfew in the evening, or a limitation of “screen time”, and if course of what the children interact with online.

      Greater autonomy is earned through positive actions and mutual respect, too. Over time as they approach adulthood you will be able to loosen restrictions and worry less, as the strong person you’ve helped raise will be able to make their own decisions with greater confidence and more positive outcomes.

      Mistakes will be made on all sides along the way, there will be joy, sorrow, anger, love, parenting is a learning experience for all parties, but in the end, if all goes well, you’ll have a well adjusted young adult who isn’t addicted to their mobile phone or any of the apps contained within, who understands the dangers of such things, and how easily addictions and a warping of reality within the mind can set in.

      Eventually you have to let go, let them be adults and make their own decisions, but by then they’ll have this deep understanding of the dangers they face, and that’s the best defence they can have.

      It still might not be enough, but all you can do as a parent is try to prepare them, from then on they have to make their own mistakes, you know?

      Anyway yeah, that’s how I think about it :-)