Do smartphones affect children’s development, lead to bullying and take them into dark places? We consider the case for keeping kids screen-free for as long as possible
LYDIA VELJANOVSKI
It’s one of the hottest topics at the school gate right now, as mums and dads debate when – or even if – they should allow their child to have their own mobile phone.
A recent survey for the charity Parentkind found that 58% of parents of school-aged children – rising to 77% among those with children at primary school – believe smartphones should be banned for under-16s.
Nearly nine out of 10 parents expressed concern their kids could face online bullying and abuse through using a smartphone, while 87% were worried they might access harmful content online.
More than four out of five parents (83%) said they believe smartphone devices are harmful to young people.
The topic has been front and centre of the news agenda too, thanks to Esther Ghey, mum of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey.
Esther’s 16-year-old daughter was killed in February last year by Eddie Ratcliffe and Scarlett Jenkinson, then both 15, who plotted the murder and lured Brianna to her death via messages on social media.
In the wake of her daughter’s murder, Esther has been campaigning for stricter rules around phone use in young people. She wants smartphones to only be availablefor under-16s without social media apps.
The government is also moving to prohibit phones in schools across England as part of its plan to minimise disruption and improve behaviour in classrooms.
Here, we speak to Emily Rittner-McKinley, 49, from Wiltshire, who says withholding a smartphone is in the best interests of her daughter Ottilie, who is almost 13. asked about 18 months ago and then asked again at Christmas and for her birthday. Four of her friends even wrote me an essay explaining why she should have one of my old iPhones. It was brilliant and it did make me stop and think about it, but I didn’t give in.
A stark way of thinking about it is this – would you let your child, a 13-year-old, walk around Soho alone at night?
When you give a smartphone to a child, however many restrictions you put in place, you can’t be 100% certain, all the time, what they are accessing. Plus, children are particularly adept at getting around any kind of sanction you put in place. They’re often better than their parents at it because they are more clued up on technology.
