Mumsnet encouraging phone use for 6 year olds - out of touch

[SpringHasSprungTheGrassIsRiz]

"A six and nine year old have been using the Other Phone – here’s how it’s held up" WHY is mumsnet actively pushing phone usage for primary aged children? This article includes comments like the 9 year old watching "a lot of YouTube" and pushing phone usage for a 6 year old. I am quite honestly shocked and yes, I am clutching pearls.

Do better mumsnet.

Yes I thought the same, absolutely bizarre. 6 year olds should not have phones obviously.

I thought this too. Just shows revenue is more important than good advice and common sense!

I completely understand where you're coming from, and in retrospect maybe we should have asked just the nine year old to test it rather than the six year old.
In an ideal world no child would have a smartphone at six but the reality is (according to Ofcom's figures) nearly a quarter of 5-7 year olds have one.

In which case the Other Phone is a much better, more controlled and safer alternative.

It has device-level parental controls and radical whitelisting, so you can lock it to Wikipedia or only the apps you approve. You can set it up as a brick at first, with only tracking and the ability to call home, and then open features gradually as your child grows. Those safeguards travel with the device when you add a SIM. It also comes with a warranty, managed updates and customer support, so parents are not left patching an old handset.

We've been actively campaigning for stricter controls through Rage Against the Screen campaign. While the government catches up, and the absence of other solutions from the big phone manufacturers, this is about offering a safer interim option for families who are already navigating these incredibly tricky issues.

Thanks so much for the input.