Nottinghamshire parents on joining the smartphone-free kids movement

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Nottinghamshire parents who are part of a smartphone-free campaign group have called on the Government and big tech companies to better regulate how the devices and apps appeal to children.

Smartphone Free Childhood is a grassroots movement started in February 2024.

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Supporters say they want to change what they say has become the ‘norm’ of giving smartphones to children and adolescents.

The campaign is based on the view smartphone use by young people exposes them to harmful content, addictive algorithms and puts them at risk of increased anxiety.

Nottinghamshire parents who are part of a smartphone-free campaign group have called on the Government and big tech companies to better regulate how the devices and apps appeal to childrenNottinghamshire parents who are part of a smartphone-free campaign group have called on the Government and big tech companies to better regulate how the devices and apps appeal to children
Nottinghamshire parents who are part of a smartphone-free campaign group have called on the Government and big tech companies to better regulate how the devices and apps appeal to children

The group launched the national ‘Parent Pact’ on September 10 – an online form allowing parents sign a promise to not give their child a smartphone until they are aged 14.

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WhatsApp group chats varying by region have been set up to accommodate thousands of parents who have decided to back the campaign. In one day, 20,000 parents signed the pact nationally.

There are currently 21 groups in Nottinghamshire, with a total of around 320 local community members.

In recent years a growing number of studies have formally linked smartphone use in children to developmental problems and addiction.

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A 2019 King’s College London study found around a quarter of children and young people using the devices display addicted behaviour, including panic and upset when the phone is not available to them.

Nottinghamshire parents who are part of the movement have told the Local Democracy Reporting Service they now want to see changes in the law, the Government and in big tech companies to reduce the impact of the devices and apps on children.

Figures from the communication regulator Ofcom show by the age of 11, nine in ten children have their own smartphone. Nearly a quarter of five-to-seven-year-olds in the UK also have a device.

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Ofcom also found more than half of children under 13 use a form of social media despite most social media platforms applying age restrictions.

Smartphone addiction has been found to weaken academic performance and learning and the cognitive abilities needed for academic success.

Social media sites like Snapchat, X, Instagram and Facebook require users to be at least 13 years old to create an account, but many can lie about their age.

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Snapchat prohibits 13 to 17-year-olds with an account from changing their birth year to appear above 18 to stop them from getting around teen-specific safeguards, although age verification checks are still rare.

A Government spokesperson said: “Creating a safer online world is a priority and ensuring the Online Safety Act is implemented is an important part of this work.

“Ofcom has set out the proposed steps companies will have to take to protect children on their platforms under the Online Safety Act, including using highly effective age checks and altering their algorithms to filter out harmful content.”

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Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, was contacted for comment, but did not respond. Snapchat declined to comment.

Meta’s website says its committement to child protection is “Led by a comprehensive set of community standards… …Meta has zero-tolerance rules prohibiting abuse and policies that place importance on your child’s safety. Our cutting-edge technologies prevent, detect and remove violations.”

Snapchat states on its website: “Like many other social networks and messaging apps, the minimum age to use Snapchat is 13 years old. Additionally, users aged 13-17 must have permission from a parent or legal guardian to use the app.

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“While some research shows that children under 13 use the service, Snapchat will remove any accounts they identify as belonging to an underage user.”

Many smartphone companies, including iPhone manufacturers Apple, do not have a specified age recommendation for owning a phone, but a child under 13 cannot create an Apple ID account without their parent’s consent.

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