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Parenting

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Original poster

FaceTime minimum age

21 replies

woodsies1975 · 17/11/2017 21:13

My SIL has been on the phone - my nephew has been given short shrift by his teacher today for using FaceTime and on Monday is being hauled in front of the headmaster and a PCSO is coming to talk to him and his friend, after the teacher found out they had been using FaceTime. He’s 10 btw. Now, I’m no expert but I was not under the impression 13 was the age limit for FaceTime. My kids (11 and 9) have their own Apple IDs as part of our family sharing and they use FaceTime. What do you think?

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YoungYolandaYorgensen39 · 06/12/2017 13:12

Sounds a bit bonkers.

YoungYolandaYorgensen39 · 06/12/2017 13:14

Is the headteacher confusing FaceTime with Facebook perhaps?

LemonysSnicket · 06/12/2017 13:25

Well was he using it during school?

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Migraleve · 06/12/2017 13:27

More details needed. For instance, where was he using FaceTime? Who was he talking to?

dantdmistedious · 06/12/2017 13:27

My 7 year olds talk to grandparents all the time on FaceTime.

Do you mean Facebook? Otherwise it’s all a bit odd.

NerrSnerr · 06/12/2017 13:29

I’m surprised there’s an age limit for FaceTime. The PCSO thing seems odd unless it’s strangers they’re talking to.

Fishfingersandwichnocheese · 06/12/2017 13:31

Who was he talking to ?

The man in the room next door to me in my hotel was using FaceTime to talk to his baby the other week. I’m sure a there’s no age limit.

LoverOfCake · 06/12/2017 13:34

Getting the police involved seems a bit OTT and I'm one of the first to talk about the inappropriacy of pre teens on the internet.

But FaceTime is no different to a phone call but with video etc but the audio quality is better. I wonder also whether he's confusing FaceTime with facebook.

My DS used to talk to both me and his dad on FaceTime when he was ten. It meant nothing other than that he could see us when we spoke.

Original poster

woodsies1975 · 06/12/2017 16:18

He was chatting to one of his school friends, also age 9, after school, via Facetime. The teacher overheard their conversation about it, as they were arranging to do it again that night. They both have the same farming simulator game and wanted to Facetime each other about it. When she overheard them, that's when she dragged them before the Head. I asked my SIL if the teacher had got it confused with Facebook but apparently not. She has made a formal complaint.

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Original poster

woodsies1975 · 06/12/2017 16:19

Sorry - his friend is 9, my nephew is only recently 10.

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WhoWants2Know · 06/12/2017 16:21

That’s nuts. How is it any different from Skype? My kids love chatting to their friends after school, the same way we all talked on the phone when we were kids

honeysucklejasmine · 06/12/2017 16:23

Facetime is just a Skype sort of thing? Video calling?

What is the teacher on?!

Zoomaa · 06/12/2017 16:24

Thad insane, it's like objecting to them using the phone!

My DC have been using FaceTime since they could talk (and before!)

Migraleve · 06/12/2017 16:26

Given your further info I would say she has no grounds for complaint and no one will take this seriously. However there may be concerns things are not as the boys say and she is acting upon those concerns to ensure the kids safety.

RestingGrinchFace · 06/12/2017 16:26

That's bizarre. I don't understand why FaceTime would be an issue.

strawberrypenguin · 06/12/2017 16:29

But it’s just the same as phoning someone - only you can see them. Teacher sounds a bit bonkers to be honest, my 6 year old has used FaceTime to talk to his grandparents for years.

iloveredwine · 06/12/2017 16:31

our school classes FaceTime as social media because you can take photos. it's banned because of bullying.

Original poster

woodsies1975 · 06/12/2017 16:31

My SIL has made a complaint about the way the boys were treated, it's not the teacher who has made a complaint. I work in a school and know how important internet safety is these days, and as a parent to a now 12 year old who is desperate for Facebook and Instagram (I'm not budging on that, no matter how long the sulks) I know how important it is for kids (and parents) to be careful. If the teacher had taken the time to speak to my SIL and the other boy's parents she would have discovered that both sets of parents knew and were in adjoining rooms so could hear everything. I'm certainly not going to stop my children from using Facetime to talk to their friends and grandparents, but I wondered if anyone knew of the legalities as an internet search didn't really throw anything up.

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YoungYolandaYorgensen39 · 06/12/2017 18:05

There is an age limit for a child to have their own Apple ID (13) but no age limit to use FaceTime with parental permission afaik. The teacher sounds a bit over-zealous.

MiaD13 · 24/01/2018 09:42

This is nuts it's basically just a phone call but they can see each other lol

I think it's definitely getting confused with Facebook !

befbiund · 24/01/2018 10:42

Under 13's can have an Apple ID. It just has to be linked to a parental account. I call my 9 year old
On her iPod all the time.

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