Startphone

Startphone. Step by step towards a first smartphone.

Startphone guides you and your child responsibly towards a first smartphone. No leap into the unknown, but step by step.

Startphone works with 4 levels. Each level contains apps and features that suit your child's age and development. This was developed with scientists from the Vrije Universiteit and the University of Amsterdam.

The 4 levels:

Basic level: Calling & Playing Outdoors – Being reachable
Level 1: Smart & School – Learning to plan and organize
Level 2: Texting & Meeting Up – Maintaining contact independently
Level 3: Sharing & Close – Growing up online responsibly

Because every child is different, as a parent you ultimately decide what works for you and your child. For example, by choosing a different level, or by omitting or adding specific apps or features.

To make this possible, we use the Accessibility Service permission. With this permission, we ensure that the child cannot access certain parts of the phone without parental assistance, namely:

• Settings
• Recent applications
• Blocking apps that have not been approved by the parent but are opened via other (allowed) apps

We only use the functionalities of the accessibility service when the Startphone is the default launcher.

No data is stored during the use of the Startphone, nor during the use of the accessibility service functionality.

Within Startphone, your child will see monthly ‘kickstarters’: small tips and conversation starters that help you learn more and more together about using a smartphone. This way, you stay in conversation about screen time, apps, and healthy digital habits, and make clear agreements together.

Startphone is for everyone in the Netherlands. Your provider does not matter. Everyone can use Startphone. The app is free to download from the Google Play Store. You pay nothing for its use. Startphone works on Android smartphones released from 2019 onwards.