Minors on MFP
MikeSEA
Posts: 1,074 Member
As the other topic that mentioned this is now locked, I can't comment there. So I'm going to here.
The crux of the exchange was letting younger minors use MFP. There were a few perspectives on this, and I'll try to summarize a few that I happened to remember, though I may have missed some.
1. It's creepy. This is a site for adults. Having minors co-mingle when the site isn't designed for that kind of interaction between age groups is perhaps inappropriate.
2. It depends on the Age. Some people felt 16 is fine, but 11 is too young. Some people simply felt it probably depends on the child, which makes some sense. I would go further and say that it probably depends on both the child and the parent.
3. The dietary needs of younger minors, perhaps even 16 year olds, are substantially different than that of adults. It's arguably true--definitely true the younger the child is--but again it kind of depends on the individual kid. Just like adults. I'm not diabetic. I don't track my sugars, but some people need to.
4. it's the parent's job to teach their kids about nutrition. the implication is that MFP is somehow a complete substitute, which seems not only silly, but a little like someone is trying to be deliberately obtuse. One could argue that it's the parents job to help kids not fall off a bike up to a point. A parent could use MFP as training wheels, so to speak. It could possibly even be just one set of tools in the toolbox.
5. Liability. They're not adults and can't consent (at least not legally) in the same way adults can when using a tool like MFP that relates so closely to health
Issues of liability aside, I think the problem is one of design. Much of MFP depends on adults educating themselves. I'm all in favor of kids educating themselves, but it should be a bit more guided and explicitly stated. Also there's probably a lot of truth to the nutritional needs of kids being so divergent. It may not even be an issue of their needs being divergent from adults; it may be a problem of their needs being wildly erratic from year to year.
I guess I don't have a problem with a parent using MFP to teach their kids certain lessons about their food choices, but I also see the potential for problems. It may even be an interesting way to talk about the science of nutrition, but it would need to have specific design considerations taken into account.
My dad taught me to drive on a country road when I was 12. It wasn't legal, and there are good reasons for age restrictions on vehicle use, but it didn't happen to cause a problem for me because we weren't stupid about it.
The crux of the exchange was letting younger minors use MFP. There were a few perspectives on this, and I'll try to summarize a few that I happened to remember, though I may have missed some.
1. It's creepy. This is a site for adults. Having minors co-mingle when the site isn't designed for that kind of interaction between age groups is perhaps inappropriate.
2. It depends on the Age. Some people felt 16 is fine, but 11 is too young. Some people simply felt it probably depends on the child, which makes some sense. I would go further and say that it probably depends on both the child and the parent.
3. The dietary needs of younger minors, perhaps even 16 year olds, are substantially different than that of adults. It's arguably true--definitely true the younger the child is--but again it kind of depends on the individual kid. Just like adults. I'm not diabetic. I don't track my sugars, but some people need to.
4. it's the parent's job to teach their kids about nutrition. the implication is that MFP is somehow a complete substitute, which seems not only silly, but a little like someone is trying to be deliberately obtuse. One could argue that it's the parents job to help kids not fall off a bike up to a point. A parent could use MFP as training wheels, so to speak. It could possibly even be just one set of tools in the toolbox.
5. Liability. They're not adults and can't consent (at least not legally) in the same way adults can when using a tool like MFP that relates so closely to health
Issues of liability aside, I think the problem is one of design. Much of MFP depends on adults educating themselves. I'm all in favor of kids educating themselves, but it should be a bit more guided and explicitly stated. Also there's probably a lot of truth to the nutritional needs of kids being so divergent. It may not even be an issue of their needs being divergent from adults; it may be a problem of their needs being wildly erratic from year to year.
I guess I don't have a problem with a parent using MFP to teach their kids certain lessons about their food choices, but I also see the potential for problems. It may even be an interesting way to talk about the science of nutrition, but it would need to have specific design considerations taken into account.
My dad taught me to drive on a country road when I was 12. It wasn't legal, and there are good reasons for age restrictions on vehicle use, but it didn't happen to cause a problem for me because we weren't stupid about it.
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I'm against it based solely on rule #1. If kids were allowed here it would really change the whole experience. I think there are enough complaints as it is about what people should wear and say without the added trouble of having to clean it up for minors. Could you imagine all the "But what about the children?!?"0
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I was put on my first doctor-supervised diet at age 12, and ate 500 calories a day for three months with my doctor's blessing. I can't see how having minors here--using a food and exercise tracker--would do any more harm than that. It's simply a tool and can be used at any calorie-level and specific diet.
As for the 'social' aspect: I would invite people being on better behavior. I am in my 50's, and have used my share of choice language, along with scatological/sexual humor in the past, but not in a public forum. I would really like to see some decorum here. It gets pretty raunchy and cruel, at times (talking the boards here).1 -
I guess I don't care either way because there's no enforcement - anyone could be on here at any age.
They could be being themselves or have any type of made up identity so it doesn't much matter.
This is the internet - you can be anyone and so can they.0 -
I guess I don't care either way because there's no enforcement - anyone could be on here at any age.
They could be being themselves or have any type of made up identity so it doesn't much matter.
This is the internet - you can be anyone and so can they.
Well that's kind of the point. Enforcement depends on people being honest about themselves. Obviously you can't do complete background checks (not legally anyway) of everyone. The idea of agreeing to the terms of use is that you're mis representing yourself, then you get what you get.. So when we talk about policy we have to assume people are being honest. Being lying on the internet is another issue entirely
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I started using MFP at the age of 16 (almost 19 now). It helped me keep track of calories, and realize how idiotic the general public is. Certainly reinforced my need to become a dietitian. We live in a world with a growing obesity problem, yet everyone seems to know just exactly what healthy eating is. (Note heavy sarcasm? even my obese cousins love to tell me the dangers to artificial sweeteners)
We regurgitate information too easily here, and for that reason I would say I have no real opinion on the age that should be on here. I've seen grown adults post very stupid things, and believe fad diets just as easily as a 14 year old girl.0 -
Nope, no minors. There are other websites/forums/tools designed specifically for children/younger teens. I don't like censoring myself as it is in the "real world"...I find solace that I can come here and talk like an adult.
Also--what kind of parent creates an account for their child on a website that makes you verify you're over 18 years old to use? Obviously minors will join on their own, and you can't really stop that, but they chose to lie, not me. 0 -
Look at what happened to facebook once you didn't need a college email to register.
Enough said.0 -
I could care less who is on here. It's just a cross section of society. A person is just as likely to get good or bad avice on here as they are at home.0
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There are a ton of minors on here. They just put their age as 18+ and go on and use the site like they normally would.
I don't have a problem with it. I think it would be better if minors could openly use the site, so that no people can make their own choices about whether to be friends with minors or not. Right now you don't know if that 18 year old you are friends with is actually 18 or 14.
If teens 13+ can use Facebook, which has way more objectionable content posted on it than here, I don't see a reason why they couldn't use this site as well.0 -
There are a ton of minors on here. They just put their age as 18+ and go on and use the site like they normally would.
I don't have a problem with it. I think it would be better if minors could openly use the site, so that no people can make their own choices about whether to be friends with minors or not. Right now you don't know if that 18 year old you are friends with is actually 18 or 14.
If teens 13+ can use Facebook, which has way more objectionable content posted on it than here, I don't see a reason why they couldn't use this site as well.
They're still going to lie about their age. Doesn't matter if it's "okay" or not for them to be here.0
This discussion has been closed.