A phone carrier has launched a plan for teenage users with built-in content filters and other safety features. It remains to be seen if kids pursue workarounds.

The plan, from British carrier EE, appears to be aimed at parents who don't want their children to have unrestricted Internet access, but find it difficult technically to control what they do on their phones. Such parents often conclude that simply refusing to let a teen have a phone is not a realistic expectation in 2025.

There will be three tiers in the plan, aimed at increasing age groups. The tier aimed at the youngest users will have the strictest controls. The key element of the plans is a restriction on what sites users can visit. That's always a tricky subject, particularly in distinguishing between inappropriate content and material that deals with mature topics in a responsible way such as intimate health advice.

Tailored Advice Available

The "Protected Plan," aimed at younger users, also has a reduced access speed, the idea being to limit use of streaming videos. All the plans come with options for parents to visit stores to get more information about setting up devices with more granular parental controls, including platform-specific features such as Google Family Link or Apple Family Sharing. Parents can also access an online resource giving guidance on how to explain Internet safety to children. (Source: ee.co.uk)

Those extra services are particularly important given the major problem with the plans: they only cover content accessed through a cellular connection rather than over WiFi. (Source: bbc.co.uk)

VPN Use Booms

As always, there's also the inherent limitation that crafty teens will have the technical knowledge to figure out how to get round technical blocks. That's a topic already in the news in the UK thanks to recently introduced laws that mean sites which feature or allow adult material must verify user ages through a range of methods such as facial analysis or uploading identity documents.

While the principle of the law appears to have widespread support, it's also sparked a surge in downloads of VPN tools that let users appear to be from other countries, bypassing the verification.

What's Your Opinion?

Would you use such a plan if it was available for your kids? How much responsibility should parents have for their children's use? Is it realistic to think anyone can control what a phone user (of any age) does online?