You: A Child's Best Protection Online
- Rise Diamond, Founder & Executive Director
- Feb 20
- 1 min read
Your child under 13 does not need a smartphone. They need to be able to reach you.
A basic phone does that. A smartphone opens the door to social media algorithms, AI chatbots, gambling sites, adult content, and data collection — all on platforms that were never designed with children in mind.
Parents and caregivers, if you've been feeling the pressure to hand your child a smartphone, we want you to know that it's okay to say not yet.
Most adults agree that these platforms aren't designed for children. A new report from Common Sense Media found that 6 in 10 adults support age verification for social media and gaming, and more than half want the same for AI services and chatbots. Nearly a third of those same adults worry that kids can bypass these protections easily.
Here's the thing: age verification systems are only as strong as the device in a child's hands. A smartphone is a portal to every app, algorithm, and AI chatbot on the internet. A basic phone, sometimes called a "dumb phone," lets your child call you, text you, and stay reachable without the risks.
So, the simplest protection? Don't hand children the device that makes bypassing safeguards possible.
Read more on the study in the article linked below:
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