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An vast number of children and young people are being groomed by adults to provide technical support on increasingly complex personal technology, a new investigation has revealed.
Clara Baker runs HelpDesk, a charity for overworked youngsters, and led the investigation.
She told us, “Anyone over 60 will struggle to operate even the most rudimentary electronic device.”
“This means that in today’s society children are under constant pressure to help family and neighbours with their ill-advised technology purchases.”
“We’ve had cases where children as young as four have been sent to programme a DVD recorder or turn off predictive text.”
“The problem is especially bad in the UK, where there is only one child for every 50 pensioners.”
Grooming
A child who cannot be named for legal reasons told us, “My grandad bought the simplest phone there was. It’s basically just a CB radio handset.”
“But he still needs me to work the buttons if he loses his glasses. I keep telling him that just pressing the screen harder won’t do anything. I haven’t had a night off in over a month.”
Ms. Baker added, “The government needs to make forced child tech support a priority issue in the general election.”
“And it wouldn’t hurt to add something to the National Curriculum so that children can learn that it’s OK to say ‘no’ to morons.”
