just look at the home screen of a factory resetted phone. facebook, instagram, tiktok, and other literal garbage too is not just installed, but pinned to the home screen by default
That’s an inconvenience to be sure, but cleaning all that crap from every device is just part of the ritual just like pealing the protective film off the screen.
Its an interesting read.
I agree with the conclusion, the stable iconography lend the program a air of prestige that might be lost if they changed.
In 2023, there were 19.5 million families in the UK, an increase of just over 1.1 million families (6%) since 2013.
Even if we assume that each signatory represents a unique family (i.e. no couples contributed two signatures) then 100k represents only half of a percent.
Im not in UK either but I thought Uber teens was being trialed there too. ( kids of 13 would be eligible). This would allow kids to travel with family linked uber accounts and while that sounds a little iffy it lets the parents see where and when a journey is taken in real time. Some might view that as safer than a bus.
But bank accounts? I opened a prepaid visa card for my 4yo when he started cashing in the recyclable containers we collected at our house. Checking the balance on payday or before a planned purchase has been part of his financial literacy. When he turned 8 real banks deemed him old enough for a keycard and we swapped to a proper transaction/savings combo at a proper bank.
So… kids don’t need to catch an uber, check a bus schedule, see what’s on at the local cinema,.etc?
The fact is that many services and information channels are now internet first and limiting access to the home seems like it would be a problem.
Edit: checking a bank balance is another one. With an increase in digital transactions and a decrease in available ATMs, having an tool to check your balance seems crucial.
I suppose you are right.
As an anicdote, my son has always curated his home screen, creating groups for related games (e.g. one group for the cut the rope series, another for hey duggee games) and removing icons he wasn’t using so much anymore.
Then when my son was 4yo and his tablet ran out of space I taught him how to uninstall applications and that he could go to the play store and reinstall any titles I had previously appoved by himself. After that he could cycle though his library without any issues only needing my help if we were considering a new title.
A couple of months later my mum was having trouble with her phone because it was full, so she came around for a visit and my son showed her how to uninstall unwanted apps and manage her home screen.
So I guess this story reinforces that curating your device’s software library is a learned skill.