[wek]

I'm concerned about these laws and their implications for privacy, but as a parent, I'm not sure what you mean to say parents should parent. How? What should the parent do? How would you recommend a parent protect a 13 year old who spends their time in their room and out with their friends on their phones?

[Eldt]

Monitor computer activity, don't give them a smart phone at 13

[cycomanic]

Tell me you don't have children without saying you don't have children.

In many places it is essentially impossible for children (even younger than 13) to have a normal social live without access to a smart phone. Just some examples, many public transport providers are moving to apps as the only way to pay for fares, nearly all communication for sports clubs happens through messenger platforms, school information is typically distributed via apps as well and the list goes on (I have not even touched on the kids own social interactions).

The irony is that the people who say "parents should parent their kids online activities" the loudest, largely grew up with unrestricted computer use, in chat rooms, weird corners of the internet all by working around any restrictions that parents tried to put on them. Mainly because they were much more computer literate then the older generation.

[throwaway173738]

They get them from their friends at school. I can’t be with my son every waking moment of every day and it’s a ridiculous stance to tel me to do so. I’m also not the only parent I’ve met who wants to be able to limit my child’s access to garbage like social media and Youtube online.

What you’re proposing is similar to a “Google Free Village.” What we need is something that lets parents have some control by proxy without violating the privacy of the child or anyone else. I believe it’s possible to do so.

The Internet that we grew up on has been totally subsumed by scumbag marketing to the point that it’s unavoidable. It’s an addictive substance now. Stop pretending like the ways of the 90’s and 2000’s are still accessible.

[carlosjobim]

You should censor the Internet of your child, instead of having the government censor the Internet of everybody.

[behringer]

Translation: you can't parent your own child so you want the government to do it, as if they'll do it properly.

[mrguyorama]

Who needs age of consent laws, you should just parent your kids!

If they are having sex with people they shouldn't, you've just been a bad parent

[behringer]

Freedom of speech and freedom to read that speech is not the same as having sex with people you shouldn't.

[brainwad]

I have a different solution to your other repliers: do nothing, your kid will be fine in all likelihood. If you must satisfy the politician's syllogism, set some time limits and make them touch grass. But a thirteen year old oughtn't be parented like a three year old.

[Barbing]

Age verification kind of disgusts me and your kid will probably be fine

Isis did manage to recruit young men in the UK via telegram (OK, you just said “in all likelihood“, maybe I’m tossing you the exception that proves the rule)

[brainwad]

To be clear, I'm against age verification. Teenagers should just have access to all of the internet, like we did when we were teenagers.

> Isis did manage to recruit young men in the UK via telegram

Not sure why this is an age problem, and why it's ok for 18 year olds to be recruited to terrorist organisations but not 17 year olds...