Source: Radio New Zealand
Despite the ban on cell phone use at school, some children have found work arounds. 123RF
Some parents are turning to the gift of a so-called dumbphone this Christmas to limit their children’s access to social media.
That’s a phone that you make calls and send texts on, but they can’t hook up to the internet.
The Government ban on kids using cell phones at school started in Term Two this year, but some students have found work arounds.
Checkpoint found that primary and intermediate kids were using their smartphones and their email accounts to bypass school online security and access internet sites they shouldn’t.
Now Checkpoint is aware of a school that is banning all smartphones and smartwatches on campus because students are out smarting the ban.
It is now going dumbphone only.
One Auckland mum was keen to get her kids an old-school phone, but was hoping for the look of a modern smartphone so they would blend in with their friends.
She said it was harder than she thought it would be.
“I was looking for the basic phone; calls, texts, they can keep in touch with their friends.”
“They’re at the age now where most of their friends all have smartphones, and they are feeling like it’s social suicide and they’re getting left out.”
She said she went to three different shops in her hunt, all of which only had one option out of hundreds of phones.
In the end she ordered one that looks like the real deal from Australia.
Challenge to dumb down
Emma Planicka, who teaches digital safety to schools and parents told Checkpoint there had been a definite recent rise in dumbphones.
“Especially as there are such concerns around children’s mental health, access to social media and that really key importance of keeping our children safe online.”
With the rise in demand, Planicka said it was important for parents to understand what options are out there so they can make a decision that works best for their family.
“It is challenging unless you are understanding the different specifications.”
“Some of the dumbphones are advertised as dumbphones but they still have internet browsers built within them. These browsers are slower and harder to use, and obviously on a very small screen, but you still do have the internet access.”
While other models are just for calling and texting, and don’t have internet access, these are often harder to find.
“Whether you are confronted with a knowledgeable person in a store that has that information and can lead you in the right direction, or whether you’re capable of sorting that information out online, it can be a real challenge.”
Other options include buying a regular phone and implementing parent controls, but Planicka said that again depends on parents having sufficient knowledge on how to do this.
With some schools considering enforcing dumb phones, Planicka believes community consultation should take place to decide on preferred and recommended device options, to ensure kids don’t end up feeling left out from their peers.
She said it’s clear phone companies are catching onto demand, as more of the phones come into the market
“We’re also seeing companies that are actually importing dumb phones from overseas because of the demand. We are seeing that there are different campaigns that are launching and there are resources that are coming out and are more readily available to support.”
Planicka said it was important for parents to consider what was age appropriate for their children, and that buying devices should be like riding a bike, beginning with training wheels and moving up from there.
“When they’re younger we’re really providing secure supports around them with things like screen time and managing that and making sure they’re safe and they don’t have that access to the internet. Then as they are getting older, having really simple things like a digital agreement, a weekly plan.”
While there will always be bumps along the way, Planicka believes slowly implementing technology is a great way to make a difference in setting children up for success.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
