A new government‑led consultation is set to examine screen use by children aged five to 16, with ministers considering advice that parents should not buy smartphones until their kids reach secondary school. The review, co‑chaired by Children’s Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza, follows mounting pressure from former safeguarding officials and child‑rights advocates who warn that early device use exposes youngsters to online predators.

Dame Rachel de Souza co‑chairs the under‑16 screen use review

Dame Rachel de Souza, the UK Children’s Commissioner, will jointly lead the review that aims to produce "healthy screen use" guidelines for children five to 16 years old. as the article notes, de Souza has previously argued that pre‑secondary chidlren are "too young" for internet‑enabled devices, a stance that underpins the proposed advisory warnings. Her involvement signals a high‑level commitment to shaping policy that balances digital benefits with safety concerns.

Jess Phillips calls smartphones the ‘greatest lie’ marketed to parents

Former safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, who resigned over the government’s inaction on online child protection, described the belief that phones keep children safer as "the greatest lie ever peddled by the technology companies". Speaking on Times Radio, Phillips warned that handing a smartphone to a child "gives paedophiles direct access to your children" under current regulations. According to the source, she also urged tech firms to make it impossible for naked images of children to be taken or shared, citing existing nudity filters on phones.

Guidelines may bar phones until secondary school age

The draft recommendations could explicitly advise parents against purchasing smartphones for children until they enter secondary school , typically around age 11. This proposed age threshold aligns with the review’s focus on children up to 16 and reflects concerns that younger users lack the maturity to manage online risks. If adopted, the guidance would join earlier recommendations that under‑fives limit screen time to one hour per day.

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson warns against a return to pen‑and‑paper

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson cautioned that restricting technology should not mean "turning back the clock" to a world without digital tools. She emphasized that parents need support to navigate challenges that previous generations never faced, acknowledging both the educational value of devices and the necessity of safeguarding measures. As the source reports, Phillipson called for clear, trustworthy information alongside actions to remove harmful content.

What age will the final guidace deem safe?

The consultation leaves open the precise age at which smartphones might be deemed appropriate, with officials yet to confirm whether the secondary‑school benchmark will become a hard rule or a flexible recommendation. additionally , it remains unclear how schools will be involved in enforcing any new screen‑time limits, and whether tech companies will be compelled to enhance existing filters.