How can we protect children with smartphones from the risks of the online world, and social media in particular? This question was at the heart of the development of Startphone. “This app is a practical application of the Guideline for Healthy Screen Use, which I wrote last year together with colleagues,” explains Ina Koning, whose research focuses on how young people deal with problematic screen and social media use, and especially on how parents can support them. “Guiding children step by step through the online world is extremely important. Parents need support in this, so that we know how they can do it. This app helps with that.”
At parents’ evenings, parents often share their concerns about their child’s smartphone use and say they are unsure how to deal with it. One of the most frequently asked questions is at what age it is appropriate to give a child a phone. Recent data show that 87% of children in the final year of primary school have their own smartphone with internet access. Many parents give their child a smartphone because of safety concerns and because they are afraid their child will be socially excluded. Until now, this has often been an all-or-nothing choice, while we know that step-by-step guidance is crucial. Making agreements with your child in good time and being genuinely interested in their online activities contributes to healthy screen use.
Startphone: four different levels
Startphone works with different levels that match the age and development of the child. In the first phase, a child only has access to basic functions, such as making calls and sending messages. In later phases, other functions and apps can be added. In this way, the app prevents children from gaining access to the entire digital world all at once. It also helps parents to guide this process in a positive way. According to Koning, this gradual approach fits well with what children need. “Digital skills do not develop automatically. Children need to learn how to deal with screen time, social media and other apps. For that, they need boundaries, but also conversations with their parents. It is precisely that combination that matters.”
Parents actively involved
An important principle behind Startphone is therefore that parents remain actively involved in their child’s digital development. Extra functions or apps can only be added in consultation with a parent or carer. This creates room for a personalised approach and for making agreements together about what is appropriate. Koning: “By having these conversations, you help children to use digital media more consciously and critically.” At the same time, the app enables all parents to let their children explore the online world step by step, because the built-in levels mean that parents do not have to look up all the information themselves. The app is based on scientific insights into healthy screen use.
Joint project
Startphone was developed in collaboration with Odido, but is free and accessible for all Android smartphones. “To develop an app like this, you need a partner who can take care of the technical side. That is not something we as scientists can do alone,” explains UvA researcher Wouter van den Bos. The researchers also set clear conditions for the collaboration with this commercial partner. The app had to be made available free of charge and be accessible to everyone, regardless of provider. In addition, no user data may be stored or shared, and no profit may be made from this product.
