Digital parent pact launches in SA

SFC (formerly Smartphone-Free Childhood), a movement focused on delaying smartphones and social media for kids, has launched South Africa’s first digital parent pact. The voluntary pact enables parents to commit to delaying giving their children a smartphone until high school.

Once ten parents from the same school and grade sign up online, the pact is unlocked for the group, connecting like-minded families and creating a support network within the school community. All 18,000 registered primary schools in SA have been loaded onto the pact.

This collective approach allows parents to resist the growing pressure to introduce smartphones and social media to their children at an increasingly younger age.

Press Pause, Go Play

The pact was introduced at SFC’s Press Pause, Go Play launch event at Rustenburg Girls’ Junior School on 16 October 2024.

“Introducing a smartphone before a child is ready can lead to serious consequences,” said Emma Sadleir, a leading digital law expert at the event.

“That is why the support community SFC offers is so crucial in helping parents navigate this challenge.”

Fellow speaker, Kate Farina of Be In Touch, said: “This is the start of a movement empowering parents to take control of their children’s digital futures.”

The impact of smartphones on children

SFC is a grassroots initiative uniting parents across SA to address concerns about the effects of smartphones and social media on childhood. Mounting research indicates the detrimental impact of early smartphone use on young minds, and SFC empowers parents to act together. The movement is part of the global Smartphone-Free Childhood initiative, founded in the United Kingdom in March 2024. It is supported by over 100,000 parents in more than 60 countries.

Courtney Atkinson, SFC working group member, said: “There is now a raft of evidence showing the negative impact of smartphones and social media on young people’s wellbeing.

“Rates of depression, anxiety and suicide in young people have soared since 2010, when children first began receiving smartphones. Today’s young adults (18-24-year-olds) are the first generation to have gone through adolescence with this technology. The data shows that the younger they were when they received their first smartphone, the worse their mental health is today.”

Despite the growing evidence, 44% of nine-year-olds in the UK already have a smartphone, rising to 91% of 11-year-olds. In SA, 62% of learners have a phone or tablet by the age of 10, according to online safety consultancy Be In Touch.

Community-driven solution to smartphone pressure

Many parents feel overwhelmed by the task of safeguarding their children in today’s digital landscape. Parental controls and constant monitoring can be inadequate, leaving families isolated as children face mounting peer pressure to go online at a young age.

An SFC survey of 500 parents, mainly in the Western Cape, found that families are desperate for more support over smartphone use. Significantly, over 90% of parents wanted more support from their school to limit smartphone and social media activity. Fully 81% of parents were concerned about children accessing inappropriate content, 74% were worried about impacts on mental health, and 69% about addictive behaviour. In total, 82% of parents said they supported a voluntary parent pact to delay giving their child a smartphone.

“SFC’s digital parent pact aims to change this narrative by offering a collective, community-based solution,” said Atkinson.

“By aligning with other parents, families can reduce the pressure on their children, confident that they are not alone in delaying smartphone use. The pact gives parents the support they need. It is about having the collective confidence to delay introducing technology until kids are developmentally ready.”

Developed in collaboration with Bluegrass Digital, a Cape Town based software development company, the pact reflects a broader commitment to child well-being.

Mark Hawkins, director at Bluegrass Digital, said: “We understand both the power and risks of technology and we are proud to support a project that prioritises children’s healthy development.”

Sign up to SFC

By joining SFC, parents can connect with other like-minded families in their area, access resources to help spread the word and find practical tools to make real change. The website includes important information relating to childhood smartphone usage and access to local SFC WhatsApp groups for further support.

* Visit the SFC website here.