this post was submitted on 26 Mar 2026
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What is a 13 year old missing out on by not having constant unmonitored access to the internet? They can go ride a bike or something. Maybe see their friends in real life instead of chatting with 30 year old maga predators on the internet and considering it "socializing".
In US? Unless you're very lucky with location, and 99% aren't, you can't ride a bike anywhere, it's dangerous and there are stroads everywhere. You can't see their friends in real life because there is no place to gather, and nobody is doing that anyway. Kids are talking to each other on various internets and talking in memes the pick up online. You can't even socialise with non-technology freaks and wonabe amish, they're all home schooled.
It's slightly different in other, more developed countries. But even then, not being able to connect with your peers on discord will cost the kid a bunch of socialising points, and make their social life that much harder (up to impossible) for no reason.
And that's just social life, I'm not even talking about the fact that you practically taking away any prospect of a good employment rising them like that.
Maybe talk to your kids once in a while so they don't want to seek connection with 30 year old maga predators on the internet as a crude replacement for personal connection, instead of locking them up in a tower.
All their peers are on discord shit talking them for being the weirdo that can't do anything. While I agree that it needs to happen, fixing this is going to require more than just individuals restricting their own kids. It's going to take a collective effort, requiring a decent time investment, from all parents or at least enough of them to ensure their children have a decent social network. I'm not optimistic with how fucked up and exhausting every single aspect of life has become. There are things politicians could focus on to actually improve the situation but they'd rather cater to all the data stealing corporations.
Yea and plenty of kids shit talked me for being a weirdo before discord was around what do u expect from crotch goblins. But I agree that unfortunately our info is more and more being harvested and sold, and their buying the right to do it through our government. It's sick.
That's what I expect of them. That's why I said it. Getting bullied was far more damaging to me than anything I ever encountered on the Internet.
My point was you can't just restrict the kids access to the Internet, you have to also make sure they're able to hang out with their peers. There has to be a balance between giving them the freedom to do shit and sheltering them.
Amen. Thankfully I don't plan on having kids because that seems like a tough call to make!
What in the fuck are we even talking about then, you know shit about the topic and don't care (don't get me wrong, valid stance)