All three technology leaders said it was necessary to impose restrictions on children’s access to mobile devices. In the case of the Microsoft co-founder, he let his children have a cell phone from the age of 14.
Technological devices, especially smartphones, have become an essential part of our lives for years.
The massification experienced by these devices has reached the point where It has become daily to see this children know how to use them with great skill and ease. While walking through shopping malls, health centers or other public places, it is common to see at least one child using a cell phone for entertainment.
In Chile alone, 58% of children and adolescents receive their first phone with Internet before the age of 10, according to a study. study carried out by the University of Chile and the Catholic University, in alliance with the Ministry of Education and Unicef .
The phenomenon has also sparked a wave of concern among experts and parents. This, taking into account the impact that the excessive use of this technology could have on the emotional and social development of the youngest in addition to the risks associated with possible exposure to inappropriate content and interaction with strangers.
Some of the most recognized figures in the global technology industry are also clearly expressing their opinions on exposure to these types of devices in new generations. It is about Elon Musk , Bill Gates And Tim Cook .
All three have clarified on different occasions that technological tools can bring great benefits. However, they also emphasized that in the case of the smallest, the use must be controlled, according to the portal. Infobae .
What is Elon Musk’s position on cell phone use among children?
Elon Musk, CEO of companies including Tesla and SpaceX, has suggested that while he didn’t initially control his children’s access to technology, he now regrets it.
Recall that the South African mogul has 12 children: six with the writer Justine Wilson, three with the singer Grimes and three with the director of operations and special projects of Neuralink, Shivon Zilis.
During a speech he gave at the World Government Summit in Dubai in February 2023, Musk admitted that “it could have been a mistake” not to have limited his children’s use of social media.
He also indicated that if he could return to that time, he would restrict access much more and monitor what his children watch on the screen.
A few months later, during a speech at the VivaTech show in Paris, the CEO of the X platform (formerly Twitter) once again spoke of the effects of platforms on children and the need to regulate their exposure to them.
“I urge parents to limit the amount of social media children can view, as it is programmed by dopamine-maximizing artificial intelligence.” he declared.
What Bill Gates Says About Children’s Cell Phone Use
Bill Gates, the famous co-founder of Microsoft, particularly insisted that certain rules should apply when children use phones.
The American businessman and philanthropist said in a interview with Mirror media that his children Jennifer, Rory and Phoebe He only gave them permission to have a mobile device from the age of 14. In addition to setting a specific age for access to this technology, it generally imposed a timetable for when they could use it.
“We often set a time after which there is no more screen time and, in their case, this helps them fall asleep at a reasonable time” he said. The tycoon’s measure coincides with recommendations from experts, who usually warn that the light emitted by technological devices delays the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles.
Gates, who created the world’s largest software company, revealed in the same interview that another of the crucial metrics was that the telephone was not to be used while they were at the table in order to respect family time.
The businessman also tried to encourage his children to use the phone “in useful ways”, such as to do their homework or contact their friends.
What does Tim Cook think about cell phone use among children?
Despite running one of the most successful tech companies on the planet, Apple CEO Tim Cook is also a strong advocate for placing restrictions on how children use devices.
During a conversation with GQ Magazine the businessman said it was clear that today’s children are “born digital” because they are surrounded by technological products from the first moments of their lives.
For this same phenomenon, he considers that it is essential “set strict limits” to younger generations, for example by limiting the use of technology at school.
Cook even went further and assured that, at least in Apple’s case, they were not seeking to promote digital dependence. “We don’t want people to use our phones too much. We have no incentive to do so. “We provide tools so people don’t do it.”
The Apple leader, who does not have children, had indicated on another occasion that he did not even want his nephew to participate in any way in digital platforms. . “There are certain things I don’t allow: I don’t want them on social media,” he said during a talk he gave at an institute in the United Kingdom in 2018 .
Source: Latercera
I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.
