> If an account held by a child under 13 wishes to send an image that the on-device machine learning classifier determines is a sexually explicit image, a notification will pop up, telling the under-13 child that their parent will be notified of this content. [...] For users between the ages of 13 and 17, a similar warning notification will pop up, though without the parental notification.
Why is it different for children under 13, specifically? The 18-year cutoff makes sense, because turning 18 carries legal weight in the US (as decided via a democratic process), but 13?
13 is an age when many parents start granting their children more freedom, but that's very much rooted in one's individual culture—and the individual child. By giving parents fewer options for 13-year-olds, Apple—a private company—is pushing their views about parenting onto everyone else. I find that a little disturbing.
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Note: I'm not (necessarily) arguing for greater restrictions on 13-year-olds. Privacy for children is a tricky thing, and I have mixed feelings about this whole scheme. What I know for sure, however, is that I don't feel comfortable with Apple being the one to decide "this thing we've declared an appropriate invasion of privacy for a 12-year-old is not appropriate for a 13-year-old."