Atlanta – Children are receiving smartphones at significantly younger ages than experts recommend, raising concerns about early exposure to social media and excessive screen time, according to new research released by the Pew Research Center. A majority of parents of kids aged 11 to 12 reported that their child already has a smartphone, despite growing evidence linking early social media use to negative mental health outcomes during adolescence.
The Pew survey, conducted in May and published on October 8, 2025, included over 3,000 parents of children aged 12 and younger. It found that the top reason parents give their kids smartphones is to stay in touch with them, but many experts — including parenting researchers and child psychologists — recommend holding off on introducing social media until age 16. The findings also highlight that screen time habits begin early, with 85% of parents reporting their children watch YouTube — including more parents of children under two years old than in 2020.
“The degree to which screens start young is a very striking finding,” said Colleen McClain, senior researcher at Pew and the study’s lead author. While 86% of parents said managing screen time is a daily priority, nearly half admitted they could do a better job enforcing the rules they set. Only 19% of parents said they always enforce their screen-use rules. Furthermore, 80% believe that the harms of social media outweigh the benefits for their children.
Experts suggest parents consider alternative ways to stay connected with their kids without giving them smartphones. These include basic flip phones (“dumbphones”) for calls and texts, smartwatches with GPS and messaging features, or shared “family devices” that kids can use temporarily during activities. These approaches allow communication without exposing children to toxic online content or potential predators on social platforms.
Peer pressure also plays a major role in early smartphone adoption. Parenting experts urge parents to coordinate with other families early to collectively delay giving kids smartphones, reducing social pressure to conform. Conversations among parents, even during elementary school years, can set shared expectations and keep children socially connected without immediate smartphone access.
For families who have already given their children smartphones, experts recommend clear, enforceable rules to balance device use with sleep, homework, extracurricular activities, and face-to-face interaction. Rules might include silencing notifications during study time or setting specific usage hours. Involving kids in creating these rules makes them more realistic and easier to enforce, said New York-based psychotherapist Lauren Tetenbaum. “When kids give their input, it’s more realistic to stick to the rules,” she said.
Tetenbaum also emphasized that parents should remind their children that devices are owned by the adults, not the kids, and that their activity can be reviewed at any time. Just as importantly, parents should model good device habits themselves, such as avoiding phone use during meals or family activities and explaining when they do need to check their phones.
Experts stress that it’s never too late to adjust family tech habits. If a day involves heavy screen use, parents can plan more offline activities the next day, such as outdoor play or reading together. By combining clear communication, consistent boundaries, and alternative ways to stay connected, families can help ensure that smartphone use happens at the right time and in a healthy way.