Social media law expert: The worst content imaginable is posted by 10 to 14-year-olds
Parents have begun to question smartphone use by children.
Picture: Pixabay via pexels
Mike Wills speaks with Emma Sadleir, leading social media law expert.
Listen below.
Parents and schools are struggling with children who are addicted to smartphones.
The organisation Smartphone Free Childhood is calling for parents to only allow children to get smartphones in high school.
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They also believe schools should have a no phone policy.
Sadleir says children do not understand the consequences of what they post, including the legal aspects.
“In South Africa, from 7 years old, children have civil capacity, meaning they can sue and be sued… from 12, they can be arrested.”
- Emma Sadleir, leading social media law expert
They may also post something they will regret when they are older.
“If we think we do some things that we regret on our cell phones, it is nothing compared to what I see in the 10 to 14 age range.”
- Emma Sadleir, leading social media law expert
“I am seeing the very worse content you can possibly imagine. Most probably could not imagine the emails I am getting in my inbox.”
- Emma Sadleir, leading social media law expert
Sadleir has seen parents of younger children starting to agree not to give children phones until they are older.
If parents agree to do this as a group, it can ensure children do not feel excluded as the only one without a phone.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.