Smartphone Free Childhood Community Code of Conduct

Let’s keep this a movement we’re all proud to be part of

This is a community of people coming together around something that matters deeply: helping kids grow up with more time, space and freedom from the pull of addictive algorithms. We’re not here to judge anyone – we’re here to support each other, ask questions, share ideas, and stand up together for childhood.

This Code of Conduct exists to make sure the Smartphone Free Childhood (SFC) community remains a welcoming, respectful and safe place for everyone involved. That includes conversations within our WhatsApp groups, on social media, in school communities, and beyond.

What we stand for

Compassion. Respect. Openness.

We expect all community members to engage with warmth and empathy – whether you’re chatting with someone who totally gets it or someone who sees things differently.

This is a complicated issue. There’s no single ‘right’ answer. Parenting isn’t easy, and everyone is doing the best they can with the information they have. Our job isn’t to convince or correct – it’s to share, listen, and create space for others to explore the conversation too.

How we show up

Respect different views.

This is a big cultural shift we’re all navigating. People will have different thoughts and experiences. That’s OK. Respectful disagreement is part of healthy dialogue. But shaming, blaming or moralising has no place in this movement.

Remember: the system’s broken, not the people

Wherever you land on this debate, we all need to remember that families, schools and kids themselves have been put in an impossible position by tech companies who designed their products to be irresistible. This isn’t about blame – it’s about recognising the need for support, not shame, as we all navigate this together.

Keep it hopeful

We don’t shy away from serious issues – but our movement is rooted in love and hope. Let’s focus on what kids stand to gain: freedom, play, connection, imagination, mental space. That’s the energy we want to spread.

Engaging with schools

When approaching schools, be respectful, positive and collaborative. Staff are under huge pressure, so keep messages short, curious and kind. This isn’t about pressure or petitions – it’s about sharing ideas and offering collaboration and support. Celebrate small wins and remember: we’re all on the same side.

Confidentiality

Please respect each other’s privacy. Don’t share personal information, stories or screenshots without someone’s clear consent.

Inclusion

This movement is for everyone. We don’t tolerate discrimination of any kind – whether based on race, gender, sexuality, class, disability, neurodivergence, religion, or anything else. Let’s build something truly inclusive together.

Representing SFC publicly

If you're talking about SFC in public – whether that's in the media, at school, or online – make sure you understand and reflect the core values and tone of the movement. Always make clear you are a volunteer and not employed by SFC in a professional capacity. If you’re unsure, check in with us.

Using SFC resources

Our resources are open source for non-commercial use. You’re welcome to share our resources – just please credit us and link back to the original source. And if you need something that doesn’t exist yet, ask us. We may be able to help.

Commercial use is not permitted for our brand, name or any of our resources, tools, presentations or content. Adaptation for commercial use is also forbidden. If you are unsure, please get in contact.

Using the SFC brand & logo

Community members must not publish any communications on behalf of Smartphone Free Childhood without express permission from SFC HQ. This includes petitions or any communications that may give the impression that they represent the views of the official Smartphone Free Childhood organisation.

Regional organisers are welcome to use the Smartphone Free Childhood name and logo for local, independently organised community events, posters or flyers. But they must include your local SFC region, town or school name to ensure audiences are aware they are locally organised - for example 'Smartphone Free Childhood - Essex' or 'Smartphone Free Childhood - Solihull'.

Our editable Canva templates make it easy to adapt our bank of flyers, invites and posters for local regions, as well as create custom SFC regional logos.

If you are sharing communications on behalf of your local SFC region, please include this statement somewhere:

Smartphone Free Childhood [Region name] is an independent, self-organising group inspired by the Smartphone Free Childhood movement. The views expressed by Smartphone Free Childhood [Region name] do not necessarily reflect those of Smartphone Free Childhood HQ, and Smartphone Free Childhood is not involved in the governance of the group, its content, its events, or its data.

Please don’t use the SFC name or logo for:

  • National-level campaigns or events
  • Anything commercial
  • Anything political or party-affiliated

If in doubt – reach out on community@smartphonefreechildhood.org. We’re happy to help.

This is a grassroots movement

Everyone involved in organising local events is doing so voluntarily. We’re not able to reimburse time or costs, but we’ve put together some ideas to help you fund things locally.

WhatsApp group guidelines

Our WhatsApp groups are places to connect, share ideas, and support one another. A few ground rules:

  • No promotional posts
  • No abusive language, hate speech, or bullying of any kind
  • Please stay on topic: this is a community to discuss delaying smartphones for kids
  • Please don’t post disturbing or inappropriate images or videos
  • Try to avoid spreading fear or doom – this is about hope and action
  • Never buy tickets, or anything else from strangers on WhatsApp. It could be a scam
  • Use emojis or DMs to respond when possible, to avoid flooding the chat
  • If you’d rather not see messages outside work hours, please mute the chat
  • Please be tolerant of other perspectives

Admins reserve the right to remove members who don’t stick to these principles.

If something’s not right

If you or someone else is affected by harm – whether that’s harassment, abuse, or anything else – we encourage you to report it to our safeguarding lead on community@smartphonefreechildhood.org. You’ll be listened to, and your concerns will be taken seriously and handled with care.

In short

Being part of the Smartphone Free Childhood community means standing for something hopeful, and helping build a space where everyone feels safe and welcome. If you’re unsure about anything, just drop us a line at community@smartphonefreechildhood.org.