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Which Phone Is Truly Safe for Children?
The Touchscreen Problem
The problems associated with touchscreen devices for children should not be underestimated. In fact, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify introducing touchscreens before a child has learned to read and write properly.
But that doesn’t mean children shouldn’t be able to talk on the phone. Voice calls—something many of us remember from the days of landlines—remain a simple and meaningful way for a child to stay in touch with parents, grandparents, caregivers, or friends.
When Your Child Is Ready for Their Own Phone
Children may need their own phone at different ages and for different reasons. For example, when parents live in separate homes, a phone can offer a child the freedom to stay in contact with both sides of their family.
This might begin with a shared startphone—a basic phone designed to be safe for children under 16—kept at home and available when needed. Later, it may grow into a personal startphone of their own. (Read carefully and note we are talking about a startphone and not a smartphone.)
As children become more independent—walking home from school, heading to sports practice, or arranging playdates—it becomes useful for them to have a direct way to communicate.
A "startphone" is the definition of a phone designed to be safe for children under 16.
Smartphones Are Designed For Adults
But that doesn’t mean you need to give your child full access to a smartphone—and everything that comes with it.
A standard smartphone opens the gates to an online world designed for adults: social media, ads, videos, games, group chats, and sometimes even predators. Much of that world was never meant for children—and certainly not without close supervision.
So how do we give children the communication tools they need, without exposing them to risks they’re not yet ready to manage?
The Least Harmful Method
The least harmful method is a decision-making approach that prioritizes minimizing potential harm—especially when designing tools for vulnerable people like children. It’s commonly used in fields like medicine and education, and it applies just as powerfully to technology.
When designing a phone for children, this method means selecting features that carry the lowest risk to a child’s safety, privacy, well-being, and development.
How to apply it:
1. Start with the child’s well-being as the primary goal
Assume your child’s physical, mental, emotional, and digital safety is more important than entertainment, trendiness, or even convenience.
Ask yourself:
What’s the worst that could happen with this feature?
And how can we reduce or eliminate that risk?
By using this lens, we don’t just give children phones—we give them safer, more intentional tools that grow with them.
Let's make the future more child-friendly!
A Child-Safe Phone: What to Include—And What to Avoid
Using the least harmful method, here’s a clear guide to what a truly safe phone for children under 16 should—and should not—include. These recommendations take into account that families may not always be able to supervise use, and that children often find workarounds to parental controls. That’s why the design of the phone itself must carry part of the responsibility for keeping children safe.
Features to Include
(Safe and supportive for growing independence)
Calling and Texting
• Children can make and receive phone calls and text messages
• They manage their own contact list
• Only saved contacts can reach the phone via call or text
• Communication is traceable through phone providers, which helps deter bullying and abuse
Voice Message
• We are currently evaluating if short voice messages (up to 30 seconds) may be introduced
• Communication needs to be traceable through phone providers, which helps deter bullying and abuse
Basic Tools for Daily Life
• Timer, alarm, stopwatch, calendar, and notes
• Encourages responsibility and supports routines
GPS Location
• Child-initiated location sharing: one-time location ping or temporary live sharing (e.g. 15 minutes or 1 hour)
• No passive or default location sharing built into the phone
• We are currently evaluating whether location sharing should be limited to caregivers only or extend to other contacts
Emergency Button / SOS
• A simple, accessible feature that sends an alert and/or location to a trusted adult in case of emergency
• If the child calls their country’s emergency number, location sharing is automatically enabled
Simple Screen with Text and Color Emojis
• Designed for communication, not distraction
• No support for photos, video playback, or internet browsing
• Text and basic color emoji support only
Listen to Music
• Wireless FM radio, MP3 player, or offline Spotify integration (e.g. via Mighty)
• Music supports emotional regulation and joy, and is considered a meaningful feature
Bluetooth Capability
• Allows wireless pairing with headphones or speakers
• No support for file transfer or app tethering
Features to Avoid
(High-risk or unnecessary for a safer childhood)
A Screen Where Pictures or Videos Can Be Viewed
• Children should not be able to stream videos or view stored media on their phones
Camera (Front or Back)
• Eliminates risks of privacy violations and unintentional sharing
Internet Access or Web Browser
• Blocks access to inappropriate content and unsafe interactions
Social Media and Encrypted Chat Apps
• Social media platforms are not designed with child safety in mind
Games (Including Educational Ones)
• Even educational games can lead to overuse when not monitored
App Store or Ability to Download New Apps
• Prevents access to ads, games, hidden chat functions, and distractions
Email, Cloud Syncing, or File Sharing
• Adds complexity and opens paths to bypass safeguards
Group Texting or “Reply All”
• Often leads to exclusion, drama, or peer pressure
• One-to-one messaging is clearer and safer
Balancing Freedom, Responsibility, and Safety
Children don’t just need protection—they need the freedom to grow. A phone designed with the least harmful method does both. It respects a child’s independence and growing judgment, while protecting them from risks they aren’t yet equipped to handle alone.
Protecting childhood without limiting connection.
No product can guarantee complete safety. A phone meeting the Startphone standard may reduce risks associated with unrestricted internet and social media use, but it does not eliminate all potential harms. Parental supervision remains essential.
