Blue light, addiction, the vehemence of social networks… Our phones are often considered harmful and aggressive. But there is an age at which children should definitely not be allowed near it.
Letting a child roam around on a phone is often the easy way out. Captivated by his screen, he remains calm and focused on the object he holds in his hands, without taking into account the world around him. Access to the telephone and registration on social networks is happening at an increasingly younger age, but experts are unanimous: you have to wait a certain age before letting your children on Instagram, Tiktok or even Snapchat.
The consequences of using social networks too early are notable. Entertaining and captivating, these can attract your children for hours and unknowingly disrupt their cognitive and psychological development. Platforms like Tiktok or Instagram therefore appear to be dangers for your little ones.
Dr. Mitch Prinstein, an American clinical psychologist and expert in adolescent mental health, says that regularly browsing a social network at an early age poses risks of sleep and concentration problems, as well as the danger of depression. Supported by the American Psychological Association, the professional affirms that “Children should not have access to social media before the age of 13 years at least”.
However, it is the entry into middle school that marks the appearance of smartphones and social networks among the majority of young people, i.e. 11 to 12 years old, according to a recent study of the Observatory of Parenthood and Digital Education (OPEN). A trap age. According to CNIL data published when a digital majority at 15 was introduced, more than half of children aged 10 to 14 are also present on social networks.
In reality, it all depends on the maturity of the child. If at 13 years old, he still does not seem ready to face the complexity of networks, nothing prevents us from delaying the age limit and waiting a few more years. The later the access is made, the less harmful consequences will be seen. 16 would be an ideal age, according to experts.
If your child gets involved with online platforms quite early, it is advisable to supervise their activities and monitor their use. With your adult perspective, you will be better able to identify good content from bad content and clean up its flow.
Without parental supervision, the child can abandon his capacity for self-regulation (50% of adolescents show at least one sign of dependence on networks) and spend many hours in front of his screen. He can also face stupefying, violent or even dangerous content, such as the numerous Tiktok challenges which pollute virtual spaces.