Britain’s cabinet is drafting advice that would ask parents not to buy smartphones for children until they reach secondary school, as part of a wider review of screen use for under‑16s.. The proposal, co‑chaired by Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, aims to set age‑appropriate limits on internet‑enabled devices and to flag the risks of early ownership.

Proposed ban on smartphones until secondary school

The consultation, announced in early June, would produce formal guidance recommending that primary‑school children avoid personal smartphones altogether. If adopted, the guidance could become the first national directive explicitly linking device ownership to school‑age milestones.

Officials say the review will also look at daily screen‑time caps, with suggestions that children under five should not exceed one hour per day. The move reflects growing governmental concern that unchecked access may affect mental health and development.

Jess Phillips' claim that phones give paedophiles direct access

Former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has warned that handing a smartphone to a child effectively opens a direct line to paedophiles, calling the practice “the greatest lie ever peddled by technology companies.” She argued that existing nudity‑filter technology could block exploitative content, yet firms have not deployed it proactively.

Phillips, who resigned over perceived inaction on child safety, insists that tech firms already possess the tools to prevent the creation or sharing of intimate images, but have failed to act.

Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza backs age‑approopriate guidelines

Dame Rachel de Souza, co‑chair of the review, has repeatedly said primary‑school children are too young to navigate the online world safely . She emphasized that while technology offers benefits, young users struggle to disconnect and need clear, trustworthy information .

According to the government brief, the consultation will seek input on how to balance educational advantages with safeguards against harmful content, aiming to produce recommendations for ages five to sixteen.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson warns against full pen‑and‑paper reversal

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson cautioned that a blanket return to pen‑and‑paper learning would be unrealistic,but she affirmed that parents need stronger support to maanage digital challenges that previous generations never faced.

Phillipson’s comments suggest the government is not seeking to eliminate screens in schools, but rather to provide guidance that helps families set sensible limits at home.

Will tech firms implement existing nudity filters?

The consultation leaves open whether manufacturers will be compelled to activate the filters that Phillips says are already built into most smartphones. No timeline has been set for mandatory compliance, and industry representatives have not yet responded to the proposal.

As the review proceeds, stakeholders will watch for any regulatory teeth that could force tech companies to tighten controls on intimate image sharing among minors.