Parents across Kent take a stand against Big Tech, joining the growing movement for a smartphone-free childhood
Kent, UK, 17 October 2024 – In a powerful show of solidarity, Kent has earned a spot in the top ten counties nationwide for participation in the Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC) movement’s Parent Pact. Kent parents from 327 schools, including notable signatures from parents of Claremont Primary School in Tunbridge Wells (217 parents) and Sandgate Primary School in Folkestone (113 parents), have come together to delay giving their children smartphones until at least the end of Year 9 (age 14). This surge of support, with over 2,073 parents signing the pact in Kent, places the county as the ninth highest in the UK for Parent Pact sign-ups.
The Smartphone Free Childhood Parent Pact, launched only a month ago, is a national initiative urging parents to pledge to give children a smartphone only after they have completed Year 9. The grassroots movement aims to preserve childhood from the growing pressures and negative mental health and wellbeing outcomes of early smartphone usage, which has become an increasing concern for families across the country.
The Parent Pact
The Parent Pact is an opportunity for parents to unite against the enormous forces of Big Tech, which spends billions annually to target young users. Despite these challenges, the movement’s momentum is growing, and parents are responding by standing up for a childhood free from the distractions and potential harms of smartphones.
“We are thrilled to see so many parents from Kent stepping forward to protect childhood from the encroachment of technology,” said a spokesperson from Smartphone Free Childhood. “Our movement is about empowering parents to push back against Big Tech’s influence and reclaim the simplicity and wonder of childhood. We believe we’re at a tipping point, and Kent’s commitment to this cause is a huge testament to what communities can achieve when they come together.”
The Smartphone Free Childhood movement is driven by the belief that childhood is too short to be spent on a smartphone, and that children need time and space to grow without the pressures of constant connectivity and digital distractions. The Parent Pact is a step towards challenging the normalisation of smartphone use at a young age, offering families a supportive network of like-minded individuals who want to delay smartphone ownership for their children.
For more information on the Smartphone Free Childhood Parent Pact or to sign the pledge, please visit www.smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk
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