MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Should a 12-year-old sign contract with parents to have a cell phone?

“Repeated non-compliance will result in the definitive loss of the phone,” the document ends

A Twitter user who goes by the alias of “Judge the Ripper” launched a survey seeking approval for a measure he and his wife allegedly devised to buy their 12-year-old daughter a cell phone.

The idea was to have the child sign a contract agreeing on the terms of use:

“Dad and mom pay for the Internet. Therefore, at any time, we can ask for your phone and see what is in any application and we have to know the passwords,” the contract states. Even the installation of social networking applications can only be done 'with our prior authorization' and 'where appropriate with the decisions that we set among which may be, the sharing of the account'.“

The user also sets limits on the times of day when the girl will be able to use the device: ”Its use will be limited to the agreed times,“ the agreement points out.

”You cannot forward to other friends messages that reach you and that are offensive to other children or in bad taste or that show people being hurt, always and in any case if you receive some of these messages you have to tell us,“ the intended document states.

Other rules are: the cell phone is not to be taken to school, it is not to be used at the table while having breakfast, lunch or dinner and, in addition, the phone stays out of the room at night, since ”to wake up“ you can use ”an alarm clock.“

If the child does not comply with these rules, she is ”temporarily“ without a phone. ”Repeated non-compliance will result in the definitive loss of the phone,“ the contract concludes.

The posting received over 23,000 ”likes“ and another 3,500 retweets. There were those who agreed with the idea and those who opposed it.

”Let her have some privacy, man. Whatever else you want, but for her to develop well she has to have her private life, and that includes the device. If not, you will only have a daughter who distrusts you and will be very good at hiding things,“ commented one user.

In the same vein, another person blurted out: ”Restrictions, impositions, usually have the opposite effect to the desired one, because they are observed out of respect, faith, love, trust; but they end badly. A respectful spirit must also feel free. Enter some basic rules of this text, without coercion. Educate, do not prohibit.”