Mohan emphasized that rules vary depending on the day of the week. Parents are more strict during the week and less strict on weekends. As he put it in a video published by Time, it's not a perfect system, but one based on an “everything in moderation” approach. The head of YouTube has three children.
This type declarations are increasingly appearing among the most important figures from Silicon Valleyalongside a growing number of expert warnings about the effects of children's excessive use of smartphones and social media.
Jonathan Haidt, NYU professor and author of “The Anxious Generation”, argues that children should not be given smartphones before the age of 14and access to social media should start only after the age of 16.
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A smartphone yes, but not for a child
In one of the interviews, he pointed out that today a smartphone is not just a phone, but a multifunctional device that gives the world constant access to a child.
The topic also takes on a regulatory dimension. This week, Australia was described as the first country to formally block users under 16 from accessing major social media platforms. Previously, a YouGov poll indicated that 77 percent Australians support such a ban, although the implementation of the regulations is expected to arouse resistance.
The next part below the video:
In an interview with Time, Mohan also spoke about responsibility towards young users and the need to give parents more control over how their children use the platform. In this context, he pointed to YouTube Kids, launched in 2015 as a more “children's” version of the website. Its goal is to simplify control tools so that parents can manage viewing in a way tailored to the rules in a specific home.
Other heads and co-founders of technology companies also declared a similar approach. Former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki said she lets younger children use YouTube Kids but limits the time they spend on the app, emphasizing that “too much of anything is not a good thing.” Bill Gates, in turn, recalled that there were no phones at the table in his house and children were not given cell phones before the age of 14although they complained that their peers had them earlier.
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Mark Cuban allegedly used network solutions and management software to monitor the applications used and, if necessary, cut off phone activity.
The common denominator of these stories is simple. Even people at the head of companies creating and developing digital services increasingly talk about the need for restrictions and control — especially when it comes to children.
