At what age does a child need a cellphone?

Never

It has its place in my life but I think I benefited from not having these things in my life until I was in middle age.

No smartphone and no social media until school leaving age (16 here) would be my ideal solution. It would never happen - there are too many vested interests out there eager to place technology in the hands of the young at the earliest possible age.

A smartphone or a basic mobile for calls/texts?

I don't "need" a smartphone until such time as retailers and service providers decide to use smart technology as the sole gateway to their offerings. I have one anyway because my employer has decided I don't look the part without one 🙄

I will in the near future "need" a basic mobile phone as landlines are being phased out by most providers.

My daughter (who will be 15 years old this month) needs nothing more than a basic phone and has never asked for anything else.

I just saw a video about a teacher who was resigning because she sees kids using smart phones and AI to complete work, they aren't learning. I think high school would be an appropriate time to have a smart phone. Kids certainly have way too much access on smart phones and the predators have way too much access to the kids.

My son is 11 and he has a smartphone. He never touches it except to call/text his dad or me or his friends. Just because they have it doesn't mean they're glued to it.

As soon as he's out and about enough to need to call.

When their friends have em...so you can keep up with the Joneses?

7 or 8

When they start driving.

When they can pay for them, themselves.

No one needs a smartphone.

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