Parent-led group calls for delaying smartphone ownership to age 14
發佈日期: 2025-10-19 21:00
TVB News
A parent-led group says children should only be provided with a phone at the age of 14.
Look Up Hong Kong says over 45 percent of school children spend at least 2 hours on smartphones each day.
The group interviewed 651 parents of local school children, aged between 6 and 16, in July.
More than 45 percent of children spend 2 or more hours on their phones every day.
This while 34 percent children take part in one (or no) outside school activity each week.
While most parents planned to give their children a phone at 13 years old, the survey discovered the average age that they received one was 9, with peer pressure being a major contributor.
More than 80 percent of parents reported conflicts with their children over phone uses.
The group recommends four methods to tackle children's smartphone usage, including delaying phone ownership until 14 years old, postponing social media use to 16 and removing phones at schools.
"Children develop healthy mental and physical development in a real world setting," said paediatrician Vivian Mark. "With face to face socialisation and other cognitive, motor, (and) language developments happen in a healthier way without smartphone use."
Robert Broad, founder of Look Up Hong Kong, said: "Make the device as boring as possible for themselves. I want to show them (children) that it's a tool, not a distraction. Other things that we have advised parents to do is to make time every day where you can be device-free. Other areas for parents to demonstrate that they are enjoying and participating in activities that don't involve their smartphones."
The group has so far hosted presentations in 13 schools, providing education programmes and workshops for parents to help them handle their children's smartphone habits.
