Today, almost everybody has a cell phone whether a child or an adult as the technology is

improving. We are provided with two passages which argue about the minimum age limit for using cell
phones. The first passage states that the age for using cell phones depends on the child but in general,
the age of 10 is just about right. On the other hand, the second passage states that the best age for a cell
phone is 16. I support the idea of the first passage because it includes certain data, an authority figure,
and reasonable assumptions.

Firstly, the first passage includes some data to make its claim more acceptable. It states that a 2012
survey by the National Consumers League found that almost 60 percent of children ages 8 to 12 already
have cell phones. It shows that more than half of the children between these ages have cell phones. By
giving them cell phones, children can contact their parents at any time. Also, it gives the kids a sense of
empowerment and their parents feel secure of their kids. This makes the first passage more acceptable.

Secondly, the first passage also contains an authority figure. It states that psychologists say that the
period between ages 10 and 12 is one of growing independence. It also provides that it is a time to teach
children about responsibility, and to give them opportunities to earn our trust. Providing a 10-year-old
with a cell phone offers an ideal way to achieve these goals and gives parents peace of mind as well. So,
according to these psychologists, we can say that children can become more independent and parents
don’t need to care their kids as much as before: the time without cell phones. Therefore, we can say that
children can be given cell phones even at a young age.

Finally, the first passage has assumptions which are more reasonable than the second passage. It
states that giving children cell phones is one of the ways to keep our children safe in an increasingly
complex world. As technology is improving day by day, giving children cell phones at a late age makes
these children to be left behind the world. However, the second passage states that Children of young
age are simply not mature enough to handle this technology. It is not reasonable because even adults
who are mature enough to handle the technology, they can be victims of cyberbullying and other side
effects of technology. So, we can say that the first passage has more reasonable assumptions than the
second passage.

In conclusion, the first passage makes more sense about the age limit of using cell phones than the
second passage. The second passage has not enough evidence to show that its claim is more acceptable
than the first passage. For the evidences as the first passage has described, I strongly stand with the first
passage’s claim of giving cell phones to children at a young age is the correct time in order to be more
independent and teach them about responsibility.