Smartphone Free Childhood South Africa (SFC-SA)

SFC-SA is the South African chapter of a global movement (now in 32 countries), on a mission to shift the societal norms around the acceptable use of smartphones and social media in childhood. We believe that children deserve a childhood rooted in play, curiosity, and real-world experiences, not one dominated by screens, social media pressures, abusive/ violent content, risk from predators. We do not advocate for NO tech, but rather a slow or low-tech approach. We want to reframe the Power of the Decision - in today’s world, handing over a phone has become a modern rite of passage. But what if we’ve misunderstood the weight of that moment? Would you let a stranger walk into your child’s bedroom uninvited? Would you allow them to speak to your child at night when no one’s watching, influence how they see themselves, and feed them content that shapes their values and self-worth - without your knowledge? Of course not. But that’s exactly what we’re doing when we give a child ...