The world revolves around the use of devices, and the widely debated controversy of whether children should be exposed to this has grabbed the attention of experts around the world. I think children under sixteen should have access to devices. In the direction the world is evolving, and the amount of ways devices can be used, is it really practically possible to cut children off completely?
Devices have many purposes such as entertainment, communication and education! The school system today relies heavily on technology to teach almost every subject, and students are required to use them for presentations, research, coding, etc. With the advent of AI and technology evolving rapidly, depriving children of the opportunity to use devices can possibly limit their skills for the future.
Aside from this, I feel that if parents ensure their child’s online safety while using devices for entertainment, and see that it is used in the correct amount, then children should also be allowed entertainment on devices.
Many people would argue that handing a device to a child can affect their mental health, though this situation only occurs if the child overuses the device or the parent does not take responsibility. However, this circumstance can also be easily avoided if the child is taught how to use technology responsibly. As with all things involving children, parents or guardians play a primary role in the way the children interact. Suppressing children from technology at an early age, from years twelve to sixteen, does not guarantee that they will not get mental health issues when they are older, after receiving the device. The solution is to give them the tools to use it responsibly instead of taking it away completely.
To summarize, I believe that giving a child a device for a certain amount of time is healthy, and my stance is supported by organizations like Harvard, Times of India, and Child Mind Institute, who have done evaluations of their own.
Imagine a world without devices, where students like us aren’t able to summon the answers we need on our fingertips. Wouldn’t that make matters much harder? Getting this taken away could detrimentally impact our day-to-day lives.
June, 2025
