The Declaration of Digital Independence

The Declaration of Digital Independence is a model community pact developed by Smartphone Free Childhood US. Parent and community organizers are welcome and encouraged to use this pact as a tool within their communities.

Changing the norm is a process and it’s important that a pact addresses the needs of the local community. For this reason, we have provided 3 different options for language around delaying smartphones and social media. Select the option that best fits your community needs.

This is more than a pact. It’s a growing movement to reclaim childhood.

By signing this declaration, you're joining a community of parents committed to protecting childhood by delaying or forgoing smartphones and social media for their children and by prioritizing in-real-life experiences and human connection over screens.

Each signature sends a powerful message: Together, we’re changing the norm. Each year, we’ll ask you to pause, reflect, and recommit, because raising healthy, resilient kids is a journey.

Signing this declaration is about connection, not competition. It’s an invitation to walk this path together, supporting each other along the way.

As a parent / caregiver, I intend to:

  • OPT 1: Provide my kid(s) a childhood free from smartphones and social media through high school. If needed, I will provide smartphone alternatives (ex. landline, talk/text cellphone) to support connection without sacrificing their health and well-being.

  • OPT 2: Provide my kid(s) a childhood free from smartphones and social media through at least 16 years old or longer. If needed, I will provide smartphone alternatives (ex. landline, talk/text cellphone) to support connection without sacrificing their health and well-being.

  • OPT 3: Delay, or forgo altogether, smartphones and social media, knowing that the longer I wait the better it is for my child(ren). If needed, I will provide smartphone alternatives (ex. landline, talk/text cellphone) to support connection without sacrificing their health and well-being.

  • Be present and lead by example: I’ll use personal devices intentionally and model them as a tool, not a lifestyle.

  • Educate: I’ll help my kids recognize misinformation, understand algorithmic influence, and navigate online spaces with awareness.

As a family, we intend to:

  • Prioritize real life: We’ll make time for what kids need most—play, rest, movement, responsibility, face-to-face connection, and even boredom.

  • Use screens with intention: We'll approach video games, TV, and tablet use with intention, striving for use that is limited, supervised, and shared rather than solitary.

  • Establish device-free spaces: We'll enrich connection by putting devices away during daily car rides and mealtimes, and we'll make bedrooms device-free sanctuaries.

The goal is progress, never perfection.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Many parents give their kids a smartphone or personal device earlier than they’d prefer, often because it feels like everyone else is doing it. The pressure is real! Signing a community pact sends a powerful message: you’re not alone. Shifting the norm around screen-based childhoods requires collective action, and it starts with families standing together.

  • Using a Google Form is a quick and simple method for launching the declaration in your area. Be sure to check out our Starting A Local Group Roadmap for more information on starting a local parent group. And if you need more advice, join other parents and advocates in our SFCxUS WhatsApp Community. It’s a great place to ask questions!

  • Our declaration is a bit different than other pacts and pledges in a couple ways:

    Benchmark for Delaying: The reality is that there is no universal safe age at which to introduce these technologies. Even adults struggle to safely and responsibly use them. Our declaration gives community organizers the flexibility to set a benchmark based on community needs. We’ve offered 3 options for local organizers to select.

    Management: One of our core beliefs is that local efforts are what will ultimately change the norms around childhood screen use - communities coming together to take collective action. Our declaration puts local organizers in the driver’s seat.

    Includes Parents: Our declaration includes the whole family. It’s not just kids who need to make a commitment. Parents also need to make a commitment to be intentional in their use of screens as well.

  • For the purposes of this declaration and other similar pledges, “smartphone” refers to full-featured smartphones that allow for unrestricted access to the internet, social media and app stores. These typically include iPhones, Android phones, and similar touchscreen devices.

    Talk-and-text phones (aka basic/flip phones) and limited-feature phones (Wisephone, Lightphone, Gabb, etc.) are not considered full-featured smartphones. These options offer an alternative for families who want their child to have a way to communicate without the risks that come with a full-feature smartphone.