No Smartphone Until You're 16, Survey Says

An online survey discovered most parents believe children should not get a smartphone until age 16, as debate continues over whether mobile technology is harmful to kids.

Survey company SodaHead polled more than 1,000 parents, finding 66 percent are in favor of waiting until children are teenagers to allow them smartphones and tablets.

There are plenty of reasons why parents are concerned about putting a smartphone in their children's hands at too tender an age. Research shows more two-to-five-year-olds today know how to play smartphone games than can tie their shoes, suggesting a strong emphasis on technology may hinder development of fine motor and practical skills.

The small screens on mobile devices may also affect the still-developing eyesight of young children, leading to myopia, or nearsightedness, according to one study of children in Taiwan.

Beyond physical implications, the mental, social and emotional vulnerability of children on smartphones raises privacy and safety concerns. The Federal Trade Commission has proposed changes to the Children's Online Privacy Act, limiting websites from collecting children's information and giving parents more consent and control options.

And increasingly, parents have access to apps and other features to monitor and limit kids' texts, calls, applications and website use.

Even with childhood privacy on the radar of federal regulators and parental controls in place, the right age for mobile access is still a hot issue in many households. The thought of a child accessing potentially adult content and conversations on a device they can take anywhere, rather than surfing from the safety of the family PC, makes many parents nervous. But families must deal with the issue as mobile devices are becoming more widespread and children are exposed to them at younger ages.

Parents have a different view on feature phones, which are used mostly for calling and texting. More than half of respondents to the SodaHead survey said simple cell phones are fine for 13-15 year olds, and a quarter said they would allow them for children under 12. Many parents feel allowing elementary and middle-school age children cell phones eases contact with family and allows children to get help quickly in an emergency.

However, kids who participated in the survey agreed they could wait until age 16 for a smartphone or tablet, but said a feature phone is right at nearly any age. Of course, once they realize their parents can call anytime to ask about their whereabouts or nag them about their homework, they may change their minds.