Click on this link to read a piece by Cecilia Kang (Washington Post, 10-14-11) that worries about advertisements that come with apps installed on phones and tablets for children. Should ads featuring "gun-toting zombie killers, lewd language or busty women prowling for 'hot guys'" be accessible to 4 year olds? Who is responsible for matching ad content to audience?
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This is actually a pretty complicated issue. I know I've been appalled at how often my younger cousins or the kids I coach are playing with iphones or droids throughout the day. It just seems out of control. But as for this issue, I agree with what the parents are saying that you don't always understand what an app is all about until you actually download and use it. There has to be a way to restrict the game use more.
ReplyDeleteMy other issue to this though is why on earth does an 8 year old have an ipod, or ipad, or i anything for that matter. It's not necessary. With all the other game consols and what not available, there is no need to purchase your kid an iphone or ipad. Want to really control what your kids sees on their personal iphone, DON'T GIVE THEM ONE! I don't know it just seems ridiculous that an 8 year old needs that kind of technology at such a young age.
Obviously these kids need one because they can't just have any old flip phone and why do they even have phones at that age? I got my first phone when I was in 6th grade and it was a graduation party. Kids today don't even know how to use a pay phone probably. When I was little and I had to call my mom or something I had to either use some teachers or moms phone or I had to save quarters to call my mom on the public phone. If I didn't have any quarters I would call collect. It was not at all hard!
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of parents should look and try the games that the kids are playing or at least look at them for a while playing it or ask them about it. Some games that I have downloaded that supposedly are for kids have commercials with women showing their boobs everywhere and those fake chats where they invite you to talk to them. This is not something that has just happened though. I remember being little and seeing all these things too when I went into the games website. I used to play a lot of games in the computer at my moms office and every time I would open one another window would open with ads and stuff and those about women and men where there as well.