Underage kids using social media applications is a problem that is present since a while now and many measures have been taken by developers to make sure that kids stay off the social media. However, things haven’t been successful so far because all social media applications ask is for a date of birth at the time of making an account, which easily can be put in fake.
However, very recently, someone just put in a great idea about how to stop minors from getting online. The ironic part is that while he has proposed an idea to stop kids from making their way online, he was himself a part of the biggest social media company out there.
Facebook’s former head of security Alex Stamos, who is now director of the Stanford Internet Observatory, concluded that while developers have tried to make sure that kids do not surpass their application, things have failed for them.
However, if mobile companies take this initiative there might be a chance for success. How so?
Well, according to him while the insertion of birth date on application seems of no help, Apple and Google can do it easily. When a phone is bought in the US, the retailers during the initial set up of the phone should ask whether a child or adult is using the phone. A birth date insertion should be made mandatory while setting up a phone, which the retailer will put in for the users and that a calculated age (approx.) can be provided to all applications from the phone directly via API.
This plan seems a bit sensible and can be implemented and if it works, it will be great. Alex Stamos has mentioned that he will be bringing up this plan at the Congress when he will be testified on Thursday. So let’s see from where do we go from there.
While the efforts of developers have gone in vain to limit child exposure, there may be a possibility that this idea works. Phones are used by all age groups now and it has become a necessity in life. While companies cannot make a same set of products on mobile phones that will be acceptable to all, they can limit content according to age groups right now and this seems like the best way to not let kids get exposed to something that is not appropriate for them.
H/T: Protocol.
Read next: The Blackout Of Facebook And Its Sister Platforms Revealed Quite The Emotional Toll In Its Wake
However, very recently, someone just put in a great idea about how to stop minors from getting online. The ironic part is that while he has proposed an idea to stop kids from making their way online, he was himself a part of the biggest social media company out there.
Facebook’s former head of security Alex Stamos, who is now director of the Stanford Internet Observatory, concluded that while developers have tried to make sure that kids do not surpass their application, things have failed for them.
However, if mobile companies take this initiative there might be a chance for success. How so?
Well, according to him while the insertion of birth date on application seems of no help, Apple and Google can do it easily. When a phone is bought in the US, the retailers during the initial set up of the phone should ask whether a child or adult is using the phone. A birth date insertion should be made mandatory while setting up a phone, which the retailer will put in for the users and that a calculated age (approx.) can be provided to all applications from the phone directly via API.
This plan seems a bit sensible and can be implemented and if it works, it will be great. Alex Stamos has mentioned that he will be bringing up this plan at the Congress when he will be testified on Thursday. So let’s see from where do we go from there.
While the efforts of developers have gone in vain to limit child exposure, there may be a possibility that this idea works. Phones are used by all age groups now and it has become a necessity in life. While companies cannot make a same set of products on mobile phones that will be acceptable to all, they can limit content according to age groups right now and this seems like the best way to not let kids get exposed to something that is not appropriate for them.
Read next: The Blackout Of Facebook And Its Sister Platforms Revealed Quite The Emotional Toll In Its Wake
