Smartphone Free Childhood
because childhood’s too short to scroll away!
Smartphone Free Childhood is a movement of families standing together to delay smartphones and social media – turning isolation into collective strength. Together we’re giving children back what truly matters: time to play, space to grow, freedom to be. Because childhood should be shaped by families and communities, not algorithms.
This page is published on an independent website inspired by the Smartphone Free Childhood movement. The views expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of Smartphone Free Childhood HQ, and Smartphone Free Childhood is not involved in the governance of this website, its content, its events, or its data.
The Problem.
First up, this isn’t a blame game or a question of individual parenting. Back in the 1900’s, children played with lead based toys causing them serious harm. No one blames the parents, they only knew about the dangers years later after the effects had already caused harm. Today we face a similar situation with smartphones and social media. We’re giving our children access to these, most of us blissfully unaware of the harm it could be causing.
Mental health & addiction.
Teenage anxiety, depression, and self-harm rates have skyrocketed since 2010, correlating directly with the introduction of smartphones and early use. This decline in mental health is driven by the tech giants’ business model, which deliberately incorporates addictive features to maximise screen time and profit.
Grooming & harmful content
Smartphones transform platforms like TikTok and Snapchat into hunting grounds for sexual predators, while simultaneously exposing children to explicit, violent, and extreme content often delivered directly by unchecked algorithms.
Reduced sleep, attention & opportunity.
Constant smartphone scrolling replaces vital childhood activities, fragmenting attention with hundreds of daily notifications, and severely disrupting sleep patterns through blue light and late-night use, making distraction the new normal for a generation.
Get Involved
From becoming a school organsier to signing the parent pact. Visit the Smartphone Free Childhood website to see how you can get involved.
The Solution.
This isn’t an all out witch hunt on technology. Working in the tech industry and volunteering as a STEM ambassador, I understand the importance of technology and have seen first hand the need for young people to develop useful digital skills. But there is a huge difference between gaining digital literacy and endless scrolling of social media or spending hours playing mobile games.
Sign the parent pact and delay.
Delaying the smartphone gateway becomes easy when we act together as families and communities. The Parent Pact is a collective agreement to delay smartphones until at least age 14 (and social media until 16), ensuring children have more time to learn, grow, and develop away from the anxiety machine of social media and addictive algorithms.
Supervised, useful tech.
By intentionally integrating supervised technology for fun, engaging, and creative activities such as coding, we prioritise digital skills and wellbeing. This ensures children grow up confident and fluent users of technology, rather than becoming dependent on it.
Use child friendly devices.
Consider a phased approach to connectivity, reserving phones with full internet access for older teens (16+). Aim for child’s “first phone” (ages 11-14) to be a simple for communication only, without social media or web browsers, ensuring they build digital skills gradually without being exposed to constant, unrestricted internet access.
Let’s chat.
To get involved with Smarthphone Free Childhood directly please visit the SFC website.
To reach out about my work inspired by the Smartphone Free Childhood movement, please use the contact button below.