An expert from Britain believes that giving children a handphone from too young an age could make them more vulnerable to bullies and cyberbullies.
Will Gardner, Childnet International UK chief executive officer, said children that get mobile phones from as young as six years become very attached to the device, especially smartphones that connect to the Internet.
“They become so attached to the phone that taking it away would be like depriving them of a part of their life,” he said. “Some even take to sleeping with the phone under their pillow every night.”
According to Gardner, this could lead to mentally unhealthy circumstances, including an increase in the potential for the child to be bullied or cyberbullied via the cellphone. And since the phone is always with them, such bullying could occur 24-7.
Childnet International is a non-profit organisation dedicated to making the Internet a safer place for children.
Continue reading
