Parents Group in Colorado Seeks to Ban Smartphones for Kids Under 13

By Jessica Ferrera, Christian Post Contributor Wednesday, June 21, 2017

A group of parents in Colorado has put up an initiative campaign that will ban the selling of smartphones for kids below the age of 13.

A man from Denver named Tim Farnum organized the Parents Against Underage Smartphones group with the goal of prohibiting kids under 13 from purchasing smartphones. It would also ban parents who intend to buy smartphones for their children within the restricted age bracket.

However, the proposal is still a long shot from being enacted. Recently, the campaign's language was cleared by state authorities and it is now known as Initiative #29 with title "Preservation of Natural Childhood."

PAUS then needs to gather at least 300,000 signatures in favor of the initiative before the proposal can land a spot on the November 2018 ballot.

According to the Initiative #29, once enacted, retailers will have to ask buyers of smartphones if a kid under 13 will wholly or partially own" the device. The buyer's response will be recorded.

Retailers will also be required to: "File a monthly report to the Department of Revenue (DOR) that lists the type of phone sold (smartphone or cellular) and the age of the intended primary owner at the time of purchase."

If Initiative #29 gets legislated, series of violations committed within 24 months have corresponding fines except for the first offense where violators will only be sent a "written warning."

Then the second to fourth breaches translate to fines that amount to $500, $1,000, and $2,000, respectively. Meanwhile, for the fifth and subsequent violations, fine can go anywhere from $2,500 to $20,000.

In a report by The Coloradoan, Farnum said that seeing how his "kids struggle with the psychological effects" from having access to smartphones pushed him to jumpstart the campaign. He added: "The apps are all designed to addict you. ... For children, it's not a good thing."

However, the proposal is now met with mixed reactions from citizens and state officials. Colorado Sen. John Kefalas expressed that he understands what inspired the proposal, however, he thinks that the issuer of whether a kid can use a smartphone or not "should remain a family matter."