UK Ministers Consider Smartphone Restrictions for Children
Parents could be warned against buying a mobile phone for their children until they start secondary school

Image: Mail Online
UK ministers are contemplating advising parents against purchasing smartphones for children until they enter secondary school. This initiative is part of a broader consultation on screen use for under-16s, co-chaired by Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, focusing on healthy screen habits and online safety.
- 01The consultation will assess appropriate smartphone age limits for children.
- 02Dame Rachel de Souza believes pre-secondary children are 'too young' for internet-enabled devices.
- 03Former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips warns that smartphones expose children to online predators.
- 04The review aims to provide guidelines on 'healthy screen use' for ages five to 16.
- 05Ministers plan to address technology enabling the sharing of explicit images among children.
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UK ministers are exploring a recommendation that parents should refrain from buying smartphones for their children until they reach secondary school. This consideration is part of a broader consultation on screen use among those under 16, co-chaired by Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, who has previously stated that children below secondary school age are 'too young' for internet-enabled devices. Former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips emphasized that the notion that smartphones enhance children's safety is misleading, asserting that they actually provide predators with direct access to children. The review will develop guidelines on 'healthy screen use' for children aged five to 16, including recommendations that children under five should spend no more than an hour a day on screens. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson noted the need for balance, stating that while technology offers benefits, parents require support to navigate modern challenges. Additionally, there are plans to address technology that facilitates the sharing of intimate images among children, with Phillips highlighting that existing technology could prevent such occurrences.
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The proposed guidelines could significantly influence parental decisions regarding children's smartphone use, aiming to enhance online safety and healthy screen habits.
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