How Young Is Too Young For A Mobile Phone?

Mike Masnick for Techdirt comments on a NY Times article on young mobile subscribers and how phone companies have been targeting their marketing dollars down into the pre-teen age range.

"Children are asking for cellphones of their own, and are getting them. Encouraged by calling plans in which a family can share a large number of minutes, as well as new prepaid alternatives, parents are buying phones for children as young as 8 or 9.

The cellphones give parents a sense of security and help them keep track of their children's busy lives. Children seem to like having a phone to call a parent when soccer practice ends early, but they also use the devices the way their older siblings do: to talk to friends, send text messages and play games".

emily | 4:45 PM | SMS and Students |
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