Over the years, there’s been rising controversy about children having access to social media platforms. Concerns about mental health are a major part of this conversation, as are the real ramifications of predators using various apps and networking sites to contact young kids.
Some parents have worked to combat this by limiting their children’s access to technology or putting various controls on their devices. Even older teenagers often have social media accounts monitored by their mothers or fathers for safety reasons.
Despite the danger that online access can pose to young kids, Meta is still allowing this demographic to use its WhatsApp platform. More specifically, 13 to 16 year olds based in Europe will now be granted access to setting up WhatsApp accounts.
There are many ways this could go wrong
British grassroots organization Smartphone Free Childhood is already raising alarm bells. In response to Meta’s decision, Smartphone Free Childhood accused WhatsApp of de-prioritizing the safety of kids in the name of boosting “shareholder profits.”
