Master Your Child’s First Mobile Phone: Essential Privacy Settings & Teaching Tips!

Selecting an Appropriate Phone

Selecting the perfect mobile phone for a child involves several considerations from ensuring online safety to preventing the device from getting lost. It’s a significant decision for any parent venturing into the territory of their child’s first phone.

The initial step after deciding to purchase a mobile for your child is to choose the right type of phone to suit their needs and your budget.

For a child’s first smartphone, affordable Android models can be a good start, with prices beginning under £100. These phones usually come with decent battery life and display quality. For instance, the HMD Pulse is purchasable online for about £70, and the Motorola’s Moto G34 costs around £130.

Conversely, Apple iPhones represent a pricier choice, with the cheapest new model from the official store, the iPhone 16e, starting at £599. However, deals like the 2022 iPhone SE available for £299 at Laptops Direct can be more budget-friendly.

Another cost-effective option could be refurbishing an old phone of your own with a new battery and case, and performing a factory reset, provided that it still receives updates from the manufacturer.

Implement Parental Controls

For children under 13, both Apple and Google offer the ability to create child accounts linked to your own, allowing you to manage their phone use, such as filtering search results. For children over 13, various parental controls can be set up during phone setup on both Android and iPhones using your or your family’s account.

These controls include setting screen-time limits, blocking certain apps, limiting content access, restricting permissions, and tracking the phone’s location. Both Apple’s parental controls and Google’s Family Link provide guidance on configuring these settings effectively.

Additionally, ParentShield is a mobile network offering advanced control features like the ability to record calls and texts, block numbers, and control spending on premium services, with plans ranging from £5.99 to £39.99 a month.

Educate on Privacy

In today’s digital age, teaching children about privacy and the importance of limiting personal information shared online is crucial to protect them from scams.

This is especially significant for children receiving their first smartphone or those who use their devices unsupervised. According to MoneyHelper by the Money and Pensions Service, revealing personal details like name, birthday, and address can lead to fraudulent activities such as opening bank accounts in their name, potentially harming their future credit rating.

Parents are advised to have open discussions with their children about the dangers of sharing personal information online and to monitor any suspicious activities like unexpected bank or credit card statements. Any suspected identity theft can be reported to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting center.

Teaching children to create strong passwords and sharing them with parents is another protective measure. The National Cyber Security Centre recommends using three random words to form one robust password.

Watch Out for In-App Purchases

Many downloadable “free” games come with hidden costs through in-app purchases, which can quickly accumulate into large expenses if not monitored. Parents have reported instances of their children incurring substantial bills via these purchases.

It is possible to disable in-app purchases in the settings to prevent these unexpected costs.

Incorporate Budgeting Tools

Smartphones can also serve as valuable educational tools for children to learn budgeting and financial management.

Apps like GoHenry offer membership plans from £3.99 a month per child, providing a debit card and a platform for setting savings goals, while allowing parents to oversee where and how the card is used. The app includes educational resources like videos and quizzes about money management.

Starling Bank’s Kite is another option, offering a debit card and app that enables children to monitor their balance and spending. Parents can manage top-ups and set spending limits. A Starling current account is necessary for setting this up, but there are no additional costs involved.

The HyperJar app provides a prepaid card that can be preloaded with money, which can then be allocated to various spending categories relevant to a child’s life, such as food, travel, and clubs. The cost for a teen’s prepaid card is £4.99.

Maintain the Phone’s Safety

Phones are frequently lost or stolen, but there are methods to track a missing device.

For Android phones, the location can be tracked using the Family Link app if the device’s location feature is activated. On iPhones, the Family Sharing feature helps locate missing devices.

Investing in a protective phone case can help minimize damage from drops. Options range from basic silicone or rubber cases, which are shock absorbent, to more robust cases suitable for teenagers who might be more prone to accidents. For example, OtterBox offers cases starting around £20 on Amazon.

A strengthened-glass screen protector is another wise investment to prevent scratches or cracks, with products like those from Belkin starting just under £20.

Consider Simpler Phones

Some parents may prefer their child to have a phone with only the essential functions, such as making emergency calls or sending text messages. A basic or “dumb” phone is an option for those seeking limited features as an introduction to mobile usage.

These devices are generally less expensive than smartphones and pose a lower risk if lost or stolen. For instance, Nokia offers models like the 110, 225, and 3210, priced between £40 and £75.

While these phones do have internet access, it’s more limited and cumbersome compared to smartphones. Parents should verify that the desired parental controls are available on these devices before making a purchase.

However, the limited capabilities of dumb phones might not satisfy every parent, especially those who wish to track their child’s location, a feature not typically available on these devices.