Long gone are the days of ‘logging on’ to the internet, now we’re all interconnected via social media, our doorbells and even our food deliveries.
While there are pros and cons of this, one thing that’s unavoidable is our children’s interest in all things Online and recent studies have shown that by the age of 11 over 90% of children in the UK have their own smartphone.
Of course, this means that children have access to a wealth of information and education right at their fingertips, but it also means that their safety is potentially at risk from malicious users, harmful content and addictive social media apps.
Mobile phone and service provider EE said: “Being part of a healthy online community can be a really positive thing and lots of games, apps and websites have ways for users to get together and chat.
“However, these can also be used by malicious users who want to bully and manipulate others. Making your child aware of the warning signs of this type of behaviour can stop them falling victim to it or at least let them identify it and tell you if it happens.”
When children should get smartphones
Ahead of the new school year, EE, which is owned by BT, has set out guidelines which aim to improve children’s digital wellbeing after parents had requested guidance.
The service provider has urged that children under the age of 11 should be given phones that can be used to text and make calls but without access to the internet or social media apps.
Its corporate affairs director Mat Sears said EE wanted to help parents and caregivers “make the best choices for their children”.
He told the BBC: “Under-11s we feel should not be given access to smartphones. They don’t need the usage of a smartphone and, actually, a feature phone - or a dumb phone, as some people call them - is more suitable.”
Research from Ofcom earlier this year revealed that over half of under-13s were using social media, despite most of the big platforms having rules requiring that users are over 13.
Sears recommends that while social media is appropriate for 13-16 year olds, he recommends that parents exercise caution, saying: “We think it’s absolutely fine and OK for social media to be used [by over-13s] but various parental controls and privacy settings should be put in place, as well as screen locks for the amount of time that is being placed on these various social media sites.”