According to research by Ofcom, almost a quarter of British five to seven year olds have their own smartphone. Every parent has been asked for a cell phone by their child at some point.
But what is the right age to say yes? And how do you monitor their social media usage once they’re online?
Headteacher Rebecca Bakewell says she realizes it can be useful for children to have a mobile phone. However, she believes parents should avoid giving their child a phone until they reach an age where they can “regulate their phone use in a way that supports their overall well-being and positive mental health.”
Read more: Five things every parent should tell their child about social media – from a Birmingham director
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“Many students will be given a phone when they enter secondary school, and we recognize that this can be a really useful tool to help parents and carers keep in touch with their child as they enter this more independent stage of life,” said Ms Bakewell, who is headteacher at City Academy, part of the CORE Education Trust.
“In a number of cases, young people are given smartphones – which of course offer the extra functionality that many people enjoy, but also extra responsibility and risk. We work hard to educate our students about the risks so they can stay safe online and regulate their phone use in a way that supports their overall well-being and positive mental health.
“For younger students, however, this can be more challenging, and while it is different in every family, we recommend that parents do not give their child a smartphone before the age of 11 – and, importantly, do not allow it that they have an account on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok before the permitted age limit of 13.”
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Age restrictions for children using social media
Facebook – Facebook Help Center says children must be at least 13 years old before they can create an account. If they falsify their date of birth, or someone else does so on their behalf, it will be considered a violation of Meta’s terms of service.
Instagram – According to the Instagram Parent and Carer’s Guide, the minimum age for an account is 13 years. New users are asked to provide their age when they sign up for an account.
TikTok – TikTok’s Guardian Guide says the video platform has a 12+ rating on the Apple App Store and is listed as ‘Parental Controls Recommended’ on Google’s Play Store, meaning parents can prevent their teens from downloading TikTok by parental establish supervision. A date of birth is required when registering for this platform.
Snapchat – Snapchat Support says that the app is suitable for young people aged 13 and over. There’s a new Here for You feature with safety resources that allows Snapchatters to search for topics like bullying.
YouTube – YouTube’s Terms of Service state that children under 18 must have permission from a parent or legal guardian to use the service. It states that ‘you may use the service if you are at least 13 years old; however, children of all ages can use the service and YouTube Kids (where available) if enabled by a parent or legal guardian.
WhatsApp – WhatsApp Help Center says children must be at least 13 years old to register and use WhatsApp and that creating an account with false information is a violation of its terms.
Listen to our social media advice for kids on the Brummie Mummies Podcast here
Family psychologist Danielle Gray from Purple House said: “There is no golden rule around the right age for a young person to have a mobile phone. Often the decision coincides with the transition to secondary school, when a young person becomes more independent and responsible.
“Importantly, the decision to provide a mobile phone should be guided by parent/guardian confidence that a young person understands the importance of online safety. Young people should be supported to have conversations about how to protect themselves online, privacy and reporting concerns. Parents can also support online safety by using parental controls to manage content, screen time and app use.
“It can be difficult for parents to keep up with ever-changing technologies and the NSPCC and Childnet have a number of valuable resources. Today’s children are growing up in an increasingly complex world, living their lives seamlessly online and offline It is important to consider boundaries around mobile phone use, for example no use of mobile phones in bedrooms, agreement on when phones are switched off and time spent relaxing before bed.”
The University of Birmingham’s SMART Schools study
The University of Birmingham has held a series of focus groups with parents, students and teachers about young people and smartphones as part of the SMART Schools Study. Research fellow Dr Amie Randhawa says one of the often discussed topics is the decisions about when and why children get their first phone.
In her blog post ‘Back to School’ she quoted a recent Ofcom report which found that ‘most children acquire their first phone between the ages of 9 and 11, with phone ownership increasing from 44 percent to 91 percent” – largely related to the transition from primary school to secondary school.
However, some get their phones as toddlers (as many as 17 percent of three- to four-year-olds) or as young children (28 percent of five- to seven-year-olds). According to the study, 100 percent of adolescents have a cell phone by the age of 17.
Dr. Amie Randhawa wrote: “This blog highlights that the decision for parents about when to buy their child’s first phone is complex, and they are not able to take a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Although there There’s no magic age for When parents should buy a phone for their child, data suggests that many kids get their phones in “early adolescence,” around the same time they enter high school.
“This is largely influenced by the safety and security that owning a phone provides, children’s growing independence and parents’ desire to ensure their children are not socially excluded. When making their decision, parents may choose to look to other parents for guidance, or assess their child’s maturity and whether they think they are ready to own a phone.”