Mini mobiles

I had my first mobile phone when I was twelve years old.

It was a Nokia, was the size of a brick and came with the now relatively extinct feature of being able to change its clip-on cover to something more exciting.

Did I need a phone at such a young age? No, not really.

I’d been out running around the streets for years previous to that, with a pre-arranged time to arrive home the only real bind on my freedom.

But with growing fears of gangs and paedophiles roaming the streets, parents increasingly feel the need to ‘protect’ their children, and providing them with a mobile phone seems like a good option.

Add to this the fact that children want the latest gadget at a younger and younger age, and you get mobile phone manufacturers cashing in on a combination of parental paranoia and kids after a gizmo that their older siblings already have.

Enter Samsung’s Tobi phone. Coming in “sweet pink” and “loyal blue”, it’s designed to appeal directly to children.

On the other hand, its safety features such as blocking of certain numbers and ease of contact with the parents in an emergency mean that mums and dads are bound to see the benefits.

Alternatively, there’s the Teddyphone, “the first every safety phone for your children and grandchildren”- aimed at those as young as four. [-[quote]-]

Do the pros really outweigh the cons, however, when it comes to introducing children to the world of instant communication at such a young age?

“I’ve always thought that there is a potential market for phones with reduced functionality that can block images and phone numbers,” commented John Carr, secretary of the Children’s Charities’ Coalition on Internet Safety.

“What is not a good idea is increasing the pressure on parents through marketing to buy more branded goods. In essence, it will be the kids who pick up on it.” [The Times, 29/01/09]

There have been suggestions that, due to slowing demand, mobile phone companies are targeting a younger audience.

According to a survey by Ofcom, 65% of boys and 61% of boys between 8 and 11 owned or had access to a mobile phone.

Far less actually use them on a regular basis, however; just 22% and 40% respectively.

Considering this and the recommendation that 9-14 year olds should only make short calls and younger children not at all, there is serious doubt posed as to whether it is appropriate for companies to be pushing products that may pose both social and health risks to a young generation.