Top UK Mobile Company Says Kids Under 11 Shouldn’t Have Smartphones

EE, one of the United Kingdom’s largest mobile network providers, issued new guidelines that advise against giving children under the age of 11 access to smartphones, instead suggesting that they only be given phones that can make calls and send texts.

The mobile network provider says it is taking a “significant step” towards safeguarding the well-being of children in the digital age by providing age-specific guidance for smartphone usage, classifying use by children into three groups based on age.

For children under 11, EE says they should only be given access to non-smart devices with limited capabilities, allowing them to communicate via text and calls but restricting their access to social media and “inappropriate content.”

Even though EE says those aged 11 to 13 could be allowed to use a smartphone, the network says those devices should have parental controls enabled as well as “a family-sharing app in place such as Google Family Link or Apple Family Sharing, while restricting access to social media.”

For those aged 13 to 16, providing a smartphone is considered appropriate but parental controls should still be utilized to manage and restrict access to “inappropriate sites, content, and platforms.” EE says that this age group should be allowed to use social media as long as it is linked to a parent or guardian’s account.

“This initiative is timely and much needed. Parents and guardians want their children to be able to stay connected with them and to experience the benefits of digital technology, but they are also concerned about online safety and wellbeing,” Internet Matters CEO Carolyn Bunting says. EE’s advisory has been backed by it and other charity groups.

“Our recent research showed that parents want to make their own decisions about their children’s use of technology, but that many would value guidance to help them in doing so. It is fantastic that EE is supporting parents with age-specific advice to support children’s diverse technology needs.”

According to Mirror, a survey conducted by Parenting Charity earlier this year indicated that four in five parents felt that smartphones could be harmful to their children and almost 60% of respondents expressed support for those under the age of 16 being banned from owning mobile phones. UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer said that he doesn’t support a broad ban, but added the government will consider what online content children see and how they access it.

Social media, and the access that underage children have to it, has been under increased scrutiny over the past several years with Meta at the center of discussions, especially surrounding how its algorithm connects kids with predators. In June, an investigation found that Instagram’s algorithm repeatedly recommended sexual videos to young teenage users — some as young as 13 years old.

Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.