How a British couple sparked a global movement for a smartphone-free childhood

Suffolk, England – For parents Daisy Greenwell and Joe Riory, freedom means looking at the world around them instead of at their phones, and they are determined to pass on that sense of non-digital freedom to their children.

Her daughter started asking for a smartphone when she was only eight years old, because her classmates were giving them to her. The pressure of having a phone at such a young age surprised Greenwell and prompted her to take a closer look at the trend.

It found a growing body of research suggesting that heavy smartphone use can negatively affect young people’s mental health.

The more he read, the more worried he became, so Greenwell decided to act. He posted a question on Instagram: What if we could change the norm? What if parents came together to create a “smartphone-free childhood”?

The response was immediate.

“That post went viral,” he told News themezone. “Thousands of parents joined the group overnight.”

Within a couple of weeks, Greenwell said there were smartphone-free children’s groups in every county in England. A year on, the grassroots campaign has expanded far beyond the UK’s borders.

The group, Smartphone Free Childhood, now has chapters in 39 countries.

For Greenwell, Riory and the thousands of families who have joined the movement, the goal is simple: more time outdoors and a childhood lived offline as much as possible.

In the United States, the movement even inspired a viral warning ad, highlighting the dangers of giving children unlimited access to the Internet. A father in the ad tells his son, “There’s a box in the corner with all the pornographic material ever created. I trust you not to look in there, okay?”

The backlash against youth consumption of social media has caught the attention of governments around the world. On Wednesday, Australia became the first country in the world to enact a ban on social media accounts for children under 16. The law forces big tech companies like Meta and TikTok to impose age restrictions, or face heavy fines.

In the UK, National Culture Minister Lisa Nandy said the government would be “closely monitoring” Australia’s social media ban, but added there were no current plans to replicate the legislation.

However, at the grassroots level, parents who join Greenwell and Riory’s movement are being asked to sign a pact: no smartphones for children before they turn 14, no social media before they turn 16.

“This is not an anti-technology movement, it’s a pro-child movement. We’re not saying there should never be smartphones. We’re just saying that kids don’t need unlimited Internet access in their pockets 24/7,” Riory told News themezone.

When asked what she would say to working parents who rely on phones for convenience, Greenwell acknowledged the challenge.

“It’s really difficult,” he said. “But delaying smartphone use is free, it’s simple, and it gives your child the best chance to thrive.”

Many families are turning to basic “traditional phones” as alternatives: devices that allow calling and texting, but limit Internet access. Sales of these “dumb” devices have increased 150% among 18- to 24-year-olds in the United States, according to a study by the peer-reviewed journal Partners Universal Innovative Research Publication.

Despite the push, Greenwell says there is still a cultural norm to disrupt, and the available data highlights that point. One in four British children aged 5 to 7 already own a smartphone, according to the UK’s independent media regulator Ofcom.

Greenwell said he believes real change can be driven from the community level.

“If kids know that several classmates are also putting off smartphones, peer pressure dissolves,” he told News themezone. “It’s easier for families to wait a few years. In the meantime, a landline isn’t that difficult. We can do it.”