Children call smartphone age limit “bad”

Sweden’s Public Health Agency has recommended that children under 13 should not have smartphones, but four children in the target group told public broadcaster SVT the proposal is a bad idea.

“Then you’d have to make up things to do outside or just craft, and that’s not fun,” said 12-year-old Hollie Jangbratt.

There is broad parliamentary support for restricting children’s access to social media and smartphones. The government has recently received a report proposing a 15-year age limit for social media and the agency’s recommendation on smartphones.

When asked, 12- and 13-year-olds were clear: the age limit is a bad proposal. “You’d be restricted,” said Jangbratt, who believes children are ready for a smartphone at age 10.