Kids under 13 would be banned from social media under new bipartisan bill. Here's what parents want.

[Ms. Toad]

21. I no more want the government telling me what activities I can allow my children to engage in

than I want them telling me what books they can read.

Somewhere between the ages of 12 and 14 my daughter taught herself to code on Neopets.

She's not alone:

https://www.codecademy.com/resources/blog/learning-to-code-myspace-neopets-html-css/
https://girlknowstech.com/beginning-coding-career-neopets/

My spouse and I checked out Neopets before allowing our daughter to hang out there. My spouse created an account for herself and joined a group of other parents similarly keeping track of their children's online interactions.

My daughter did not have access to a cell phone until she turned 16 and needed to have the ability to reach us when she was out alone driving. She didn't have a data plan on her phone until she was old enough to buy one for herself - sometime in her 20s. She also spent plenty of time outdoors and with real-life peers.

There are benefits and dangers to allowing younger children to use the internet. It is a parent's responsibility to be engaged enough with their children and what they are doing to strike a good balance.