Welcome to The Tools for Parents Blog
This web site provides information on a variety of topics regarding online safety for kids. The subject we will be featuring today is the Minor Device.
One common trope is that "parents need to do a better job monitoring their kids online activity". As our name implies, The Tools for Parents is advocating for providing parents with better tools to help with this responsibility. One tool that would help parents is a phone that could be designated as a Minor Device.
How would a Minor Device Work?
Here are the details:
The steps to setting up a phone as a Minor Device would be rather simple. Let's say a parent/guardian has decided to purchase a phone for a minor child. In order to set up an internet connection for this phone, the adult needs to physically bring the phone to an internet provider.
At this point, if the Minor Device feature were available, the adult could request that the phone be set up as a Minor Device. The internet provider, while granting access to the internet, would designate the phone as a Minor Device. The activated software imbedded in the phone would then safeguard against any websites whose main business is pornography, gambling, gun sales, etc., any content that is regulated based on age. Basically, a phone designated as a Minor Device would not allow access to content and activity that we, as a society, have already agreed should be limited to adults.
Final Comments:
The idea of a Minor Device is simple common sense. Bringing this product to market is not so simple.
Most people would agree with the intention of making the internet/social media safe for kids. The question is one of priorities.