Japan Worried about Kids' Cell Phone Use
Are elementary and middle school students addicted to Internet-linking cell phones? Japanese government officials think that is the case in their country, and they have made several recommendations to safeguard Japanese children.
The officials are worried that students are vulnerable to cyber-crime and also are spending too many hours text messaging and overusing their phones.
According to one official, cell phones have become expensive toys and parents are not thinking about some of the problems that they can cause.
Thirty-three percent of Japanese sixth graders have cell phones and 60 percent of ninth graders have them. Most mobile phones in Japan offer high speed Internet access.
So what is the government proposing? The panel established by the government has asked Japanese phone companies to develop cell phones with only talking functions—no Internet. Also, the companies were asked to add a global positioning system (GPS) to ensure student safety.
The panel also wants better filtering of Internet access. One fad in Japan is the “30 minute rule.” If a child doesn’t respond to a message in 30 minutes, he/she is picked on by his school friends.
Source: CNN
BLOG QUESTION
Should the U.S. government set a policy that cell phones with Internet access cannot be sold to anyone 13 years-old or younger?
The officials are worried that students are vulnerable to cyber-crime and also are spending too many hours text messaging and overusing their phones.
According to one official, cell phones have become expensive toys and parents are not thinking about some of the problems that they can cause.
Thirty-three percent of Japanese sixth graders have cell phones and 60 percent of ninth graders have them. Most mobile phones in Japan offer high speed Internet access.
So what is the government proposing? The panel established by the government has asked Japanese phone companies to develop cell phones with only talking functions—no Internet. Also, the companies were asked to add a global positioning system (GPS) to ensure student safety.
The panel also wants better filtering of Internet access. One fad in Japan is the “30 minute rule.” If a child doesn’t respond to a message in 30 minutes, he/she is picked on by his school friends.
Source: CNN
BLOG QUESTION
Should the U.S. government set a policy that cell phones with Internet access cannot be sold to anyone 13 years-old or younger?
2 Comments:
I think that the US shouldn't ban cell phones from children 13 years or younger, because some people have to have one. Sometimes kids have hectic schedules where they need to be in contact with their parents throughout the day, or if they are away at camp or a field trip. However, kids do spend a little too much time on them texting and calling their friends. I think that it is a smart idea to have a GPS installed into phones, because then you can find the child easily. Also, I don't think that it would be all that bad if the phone companies would not allow children to have internet access, but still have fun functions like cameras. All in all, I think that kids should still have cell phones, but they should not spend so much time on them and their should be restrictions and things taken away from the phone.
-Chelsea, C.H.O.I.C.E 7
I think it is crazy that they think that kids under 13 shouldnot have cell phones!!!
I think the U.S Goverment should not band cell phones of kids under 13!!!
Post a Comment