What are the main online risks for children with a phone?
2 min read Published 13 Nov 2026
By Bertie Aspinall, Co-Founder, SafetyModeChild-safety experts often group online risks into four Cs. Thinking in these terms helps you match each risk to a setting, a house rule or a conversation. Both iPhone and Android now include free parental controls, but they mostly control access (which apps, how long, which contacts) rather than what actually appears on screen once an app is open. That gap is where many of the real risks sit.
The four Cs
Content: pornography, violence, self-harm material, extreme views, upsetting videos pushed by algorithms. What helps most: content filters, age-appropriate app choices and nudity blurring.
Contact: strangers in games and chats, grooming, sextortion, pressure to move to private apps. What helps most: approved contacts, private accounts, game chat limits, and a child who knows to tell you.
Conduct: bullying in group chats, sharing images, pile-ons, oversharing personal details. What helps most: clear family rules, talking about kindness and consent, and reporting tools.
Commerce: in-app purchases, loot boxes, scams, premium-rate charges. What helps most: Ask to Buy or app approvals, spending caps, and no saved card on the phone.
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This article is published by ParentBoost. It was written or reviewed for ParentBoost by the contributor below and edited by our team. It is general information for parents, not individual professional advice.
Bertie Aspinall
Co-Founder, SafetyMode
Bertie Aspinall is co-founder of SafetyMode and OtherPhone, where he works on technology to make smartphones safer for children and teenagers. He studied Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Cambridge and worked at the European Commission and Virgin Atlantic. During the pandemic he helped build Doctors in Distress, a charity supporting the mental health of NHS staff, where he remains an ambassador. ParentBoost has teamed up with OtherPhone and earns a commission when members buy one.
This article is general guidance for parents and carers, not medical, health, legal or other professional advice. Every child is different. If you're worried about your child's health or development, talk to your GP, health visitor or another suitable professional. In an emergency, call 999. For urgent advice, call NHS 111.
