British Parents Make ‘No Phone’ Pacts to Keep Children Off Smartphones

Collective pledges and reverting to landlines have spread through homes, as parents try to protect children from social media.

A 12-year-old boy on his personal phone outside school in Barcelona, Spain, on June 17, 2024. Emilio Morenatti/AP Photo

Parents across the United Kingdom are increasingly taking matters into their own hands when it comes to smartphones, including making collective pledges, promising not to buy phones for their children until a set age.

Today’s mothers and fathers say they feel like the first generation forced to confront this challenge.