Yeah but OP seemd concerend about the Age gap. Her Partens are fine with them being a couple, his son is an adult and the law also says its fine so the only thing which seems to be a problem is reaction of the public and somehow the public stops careing as soon both are over 20.
My Argument is basically if I could I would block Instagram and TikTok for everyone under 16. If that's not possible then block rather everything then nothing. But I also think it's neither wise nor possible to keep children away from social media. You can limit their exposure yes, but because of their friends, their school or even a relative they will access social media before the set age. Use this time of limited exposure to prepare them as good as you can. Otherwise they will still access social media and will be even more vulnerable to scams, algorithms and fake news.
Nothing to worry about. I've met many older guys who just don’t "fit in" with their age group. For example, some are more liberal than others in their generation and tend to connect much better with younger people.
but for every person who’s somewhat qualified to explain that, there will be dozens who aren’t
That's sadly 100% true.
I’m not against all corporate social media, at least not for now. For example, YouTube is my main source of entertainment, but I use NewPipe to avoid ads and algorithms. And I will try to teach my kids to do the same. My main concern is TikTok and Instagram.
That said, I’d rather see all corporate social media banned for children than continue as things are now. I would then tailor a solution for my kids that I see fit.
All the things you’re saying that kids need to learn about are things that they do not and cannot and will not learn about in closed wall garden environments ran by corporations.
They won’t learn about online threats or how to critically think or how to avoid being manipulated.
Yes, you need to teach your kids these things. Not the schools, because they don't have the manpower; not the corporations, because they won’t do it. No, you must teach them.
You can try to keep them off social media for as long as possible, but they’ll eventually find a way. Use that time to teach them about all these predatory mechanics, so when they do go on social media, they’ll understand what’s going on.
Okay, you have a point there. But in a way, that doesn’t refute my point - the opposite of “learning how to navigate it effectively” is letting children have access to it on their own. It would need to be taught in school, by qualified teachers (who don’t exist in sufficient quantity).
Of course, children need basic training on how to use the internet, and I know it’s going to be tedious, but I will explain to them why I think it’s not good for them to use TikTok and Instagram—at least until they’re 14, 15, or 16.
Oh, I have to disagree strongly.
Precisely because the internet has gotten worse, it’s even more important for children to learn how to navigate it effectively.
Take my former colleague as an example: a 45-year-old downloading a “better zip tool” from a Russian website full of awful spelling and dubious claims.
Kids need to learn about ad blockers, VPNs, and how to identify fake news. Not teaching them these skills leaves them far more vulnerable to online threats than if they were taught how to handle these issues from an early age.
And as many people tell you, the best way to truly learn about something is by doing it yourself.
The internet is only going to become more relevant in the future.
Urgh. This is a tough one.
Social media has been a part of asymmetric warfare for at least the past ten years, and I don’t want my kids to be bombarded with propaganda from Russian and Chinese-funded far-right groups like the AfD.
At the same time, I understand how important it is for kids to explore the internet on their own.
If I had the choice, I would ban TikTok and Instagram.
But if that’s not possible – then honestly, ban everything. I will then work something out with my kids myself.
The Skateboard was invented by "Gustav zu Skate" in 1965 in West-Berlin and was called "Lustigkeitsrollbrett" then shortened to Skatebrett and in English Skateboard 🥸
Yeah but OP seemd concerend about the Age gap. Her Partens are fine with them being a couple, his son is an adult and the law also says its fine so the only thing which seems to be a problem is reaction of the public and somehow the public stops careing as soon both are over 20.