Why Kids Under 13 Shouldn’t Use Social Media?
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) reminded parents to make sure their children under 13 do not have any social media accounts.
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The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has reminded parents to ensure their children under 13 do not have any social media accounts.
According to Sinar Daily, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the commission found it inappropriate for children under 13 to use social media.
Parents are advised to inform Fahmi or the MCMC if they come across any children under 13 using or owning a social media account so they can shut down the account.
Why should young children not use social media?
Just because young children seem tech savvy, it doesn’t mean their minds have developed enough to discern what’s safe for them and what’s the correct information shown online. Even many adults struggle with these issues.
According to Cyber Civics, children have also yet to fully develop the cognitive structure that enables them to engage in abstract thinking, a necessary prerequisite to ethical thinking.
They might find themselves inadvertently involved in harmful behaviours such as cyberbullying, dangerous online “challenges,” absorbing misinformation, getting scammed, or meeting dubious individuals online.
Children are also too young to understand how to safeguard their privacy and personal information online.
While most social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram limit the age of users, children can still bypass the security measures by lying about their age simply by selecting a different birth year.
Experts say it’s hard to determine the exact age when regular social media use is safe because every child matures differently. Also, children can still find a way to go online despite a parent’s best efforts and will eventually be exposed to it as they grow up.
Instead of keeping children in the dark forever, a responsible thing to do is for parents to take the necessary precautions and equip their children with knowledge as much as possible.
To help better prepare children for internet use, parents are advised to talk to their children and guide them on how to use the internet and social media platforms wisely. They can do so by providing healthy guidelines on online use for their children.
Parents are also reminded to provide and foster an environment of trust and safety so their children feel safe to confide in them whenever they encounter something questionable online.
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