Silly parents, cell phones are for kids. At least that’s what cell phone companies are telling consumers. Teens, ‘tweens and even younger children have become a huge growth market for such companies, and many manufacturers are designing kidfriendly phones for their youngest users. Imaginarium, a Spanish toy company, recently unveiled the M01, a curvy red-and-blue phone for kids as young as 6.
All this has some folks worried, particularly considering there’s a growing concern that overusing cell phones actually can be hazardous to children’s health. The reaction has been particularly strong overseas. “I believe in the principle of precaution,” says Roselyne Bachelot, France’s health minister. “If there is a risk, then children with developing nervous systems would be affected. I’ve alerted parents about the use of mobile telephones because it’s absurd for young children to have them.” (New York Times)
