EE launches the Nation's first phone licence - PhoneSmart - to help prepare kids for life online

EE PhoneSmart Licence will educate young people on how to stay safe and be kind online, and is available to everyone, not just EE customers, via EEPhoneSmart.co.uk
The free online programme will also give parents and guardians the knowledge and confidence to support their child in preparing for the next step in independence.
EE PhoneSmart Licence will contribute to the BT Skills for Tomorrow target of helping 25 million people in the UK make the most of life in the digital world.

EE has created PhoneSmart, the first phone Licence, offering a free online programme that provides young people with the tools and confidence to use phone technology safely and responsibly. EE believe every child should be safe on their phone.

In collaboration with experts from Internet Matters, and in consultation with Home-Start, ChildNet, Marie Collins Foundation and the Anti-Bullying Alliance, the Licence teaches kids about key components of phone safety across four modules including online hate, digital wellbeing, staying safe online and digital & media literacy.

The free-to-access programme, which takes approximately one hour to complete and features a range of engaging storylines and interactive quizzes and activities, will highlight the benefits and dangers of tech use, and provide a platform for children to understand how to report instances of online abuse, hate, discrimination and cyberbullying.

Research from Ofcom revealed that 49% of eight to 11 year-olds now own their own smartphone. That number increases to a whopping 91% for 12 to 15 year olds, with 81% having had at least one potentially harmful experience online in the past year. As a result, adults are becoming increasingly wary of the challenges presented by giving a child their own device.

A survey of UK parents, commissioned by EE, has highlighted that almost a third (30%) of parents are less worried about their child’s first day of school than them receiving their first phone. The survey also revealed that just 21% of parents think children should be given complete privacy when it comes to their phone, while 69% believe it is ok to check their child’s phone while they are asleep. Furthermore it highlighted that prior to giving their child a phone 87% of parents had a conversation with their kids around online dangers, positioning phone safety as a prevalent issue for parents.

The EE PhoneSmart Licence will look to combat these issues, preparing children to navigate the online world independently as they get their phone, and reassuring parents that their child is aware of their new-found responsibility as a digital citizen. To launch the Licence, EE has unveiled a new short film, featuring musician Clement Marfo, highlighting not only the breadth of things that can be done with a phone, from creating new dance routines to learning a new skill, but also the dangers that children may be exposed to. The film can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/nQnnaxKFJtU

Marc Allera, CEO of EE, said: "Our EE PhoneSmart Licence is designed to prepare children for the big wide world that a connected device can open up for them, and give them the tools to stay safe and be kind online.

As the UK's best network, and with a desire to connect for good, we're playing our part in helping educate young people – not just EE customers – with a free online programme that will gives parents and guardians the confidence to prepare their child with the digital skills they need for a brighter future."

Available to everyone, not just EE customers, the EE PhoneSmart Licence will look to engage hundreds of thousands of young people and forms part of BT Skills for Tomorrow, which is helping 25 million people in the UK make the most of life in the digital world. The programme is completely free and designed to help people across the UK – from children and their parents, older and more vulnerable people, to job seekers and small businesses. It offers a wide range of free courses, webinars and advice anyone can use to boost their confidence and understanding of digital tools and technology to make daily life better and realise their long-term ambitions. BT Skills For Tomorrow can be accessed for free at BT.com/SkillsForTomorrow.

To launch the PhoneSmart Licence, EE has teamed up with parent, singer and actress Louise Redknapp: “There are so many things to consider when giving your child a phone: it really is a minefield. The scariest thing is, once the phone is in their hands, the parent no longer has control over what they’re seeing or accessing. The responsibility shifts to them, and that is huge! It’s a really big decision to decide when the time is right.

“Having this Licence from EE reassures me that my child has an understanding of phone safety. It really helps puts my mind at ease that my child understands how to use their device in the safest, most productive way.”

To find out more about the EE PhoneSmart Licence, visit EEPhoneSmart.co.uk

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

EE PhoneSmart Licence Modules

Online hate: Understanding inclusivity and identifying hate online
Digital wellbeing: Understanding the impact that screen time & tech on health
Staying Safe Online: Understanding the 4 Cs (content, contact, conduct and contract risks)
Digital & Media Literacy: Understanding fake news and social media as an information source

The research was commissioned by EE and carried out online by OnePoll. The survey was conducted between 6^th October 2021 and 11^th October 2021. The sample comprised 1000 UK parents of children aged 5-16. OnePoll are members of ESOMAR and employ members of the MRS. Additional research taken from Ofcom’s 2020/21 Children and parents: media use and attitudes report, and Ofcom’s January/February 2020 Internet users’ experience of potential online harms research report.

Saatchi & Saatchi - Creative concept, development, and delivery of PhoneSmart platform and licence

Digitas - Build of PhoneSmart platform

Essence – Media buying

Pitch Marketing Group - PR

About EE

EE runs the UK's biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator. EE brought the first 4G network to the UK in October 2012 and launched the UK’s first 5G network in May 2019.

EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being named the UK’s no.1 5G network by RootMetrics® in 2020 and being named the UK's best network every year since 2014 for the following awards: The Mobile Choice Awards, The Mobile Industry Awards and by RootMetrics®.

As well as offering mobile services to consumers and small and medium businesses, EE also provides home and business broadband using both 4G and fixed line connections.

EE is committed to being number one for service in the industry and has nearly 600 shops across the UK. EE remains the only mobile provider to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK and Ireland and was recognised as the UK’s Best Large Contact Centre by the UK Customer Experience Awards 2018 and Welsh Contact Centre Awards 2019. EE was awarded The Sunday Times’ Best 100 Companies to Work for in 2018 and 2019, as well as being named Best Employer 2018 by the European Contact Centre & Customer Service awards.

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