Startphone: a new choice for parents and children when getting a first smartphone

A child asks for their first smartphone, classmates are already messaging and scrolling, while advice and opinions on screen time and social media vary widely. As a result, many parents are looking for ways to guide their children responsibly in a digital world that starts at an increasingly young age. To help parents navigate this challenge, researchers from the University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Odido today launch Startphone: a new option for parents and children to approach a first smartphone in a responsible, step-by-step way. 

Startphone is available as a free Android application that transforms an existing smartphone into a Startphone, unlocking features that match a child’s stage of development. It is the first solution in the Netherlands to integrate the Dutch government’s new guidelines on smartphone and social media use among children and young people into a practical tool for families. 

Parents want to do more but lack practical guidance
The launch of Startphone follows a societal development that researchers and parents have been observing for some time. New research by the University of Amsterdam* among parents of children aged 10 to 15 shows that parents feel responsible for their children’s online safety but often lack the knowledge and practical tools to support them. As many as 82 percent of parents surveyed say they believe they should be doing more to protect their children online. 

The findings confirm a growing need for guidance when it comes to growing up in a digital world. It is a challenge that Odido and researchers from the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam have been working on together for more than a year through the development of Startphone. 

A responsible start with a first smartphone
Startphone translates government recommendations on smartphone and social media use into a practical solution for families. Through four different stages, children gradually gain access to smartphone features appropriate to their age and development, while parents maintain oversight and make agreements together with their child.

The Startphone solution is based on scientific research into smartphone use, social media and the development of children and young people. It was developed from the belief that responsible digital development starts with guidance that matches a child’s stage of growth. That is why Startphone focuses on shared agreements, gradual freedom and ongoing support. 

Dr. Wouter van den Bos (University of Amsterdam), involved in the development of Startphone:  
"Many parents feel that a smartphone becomes inevitable at a certain point, but struggle not only with when to introduce one, but also with how to guide their child afterwards. Our research shows that parents are not necessarily looking for more control, but for more support and practical guidance." 

Prof. Dr. Ina Koning (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), also involved in the development of Startphone: 
"The findings confirm what we have seen in research for years: growing up in a digital world is not an all-or-nothing issue. Children develop at different speeds. It therefore makes sense for digital freedom to grow gradually alongside a child’s age, skills and experience." 

How it works 
Startphone evolves alongside a child’s development – from calling and messaging at the earliest levels to broader access to apps, screen time settings and online guidance at later stages. Features are gradually unlocked over time, but parents can also choose to enable additional functionality manually. 

This approach prevents children from being thrown into the digital deep end all at once, while allowing parents to gradually give them more independence as they grow. 

The different levels 

• Basic Level – Calling & Playing Outside
• Level 1 – Smart & School (approx. ages 11–12)
• Level 2 – Chat & Connect (approx. ages 13–14)
• Level 3 – Share & Explore (approx. age 15 and up) 

Parents download the application from the Google Play Store onto their child’s phone and complete the installation together. Once installed, Startphone takes over the Android phone’s interface and settings, transforming a regular smartphone into a Startphone. 

Tisha van Lammeren, CCO Mass Market at Odido: 
"Many parents experience a first smartphone as a difficult step, while at the same time recognising that their child can hardly participate socially without one. That is why we do not believe in either banning smartphones altogether or giving unrestricted access. We believe in guidance. With Startphone, we help parents and children use a first smartphone responsibly together and make agreements that fit a child’s stage of development. Step by step, in a way that is realistic for everyday family life. At Odido, we believe technology should help people move forward. That is why we want to do more than connect families – we want to support them in the choices that come with growing up in a digital world." 

Available to every family 
To make the solution accessible to as many families as possible, Startphone is not linked to any subscription or mobile provider. Anyone in the Netherlands with an Android smartphone can use the application free of charge. It also works on older devices that may already be sitting unused at home. 

Startphone is available from today via the Google Play Store. More information can be found at startphone.nl.