We can't just rely on schools to lead the way on smartphone use 

The debate on a potential schoolwide smartphone ban moves the spotlight away from social media companies and their responsibilities to online safety

More than a quarter of all children surveyed had seen or experienced something online in the last year that bothered, scared or upset them, or made them wish they had not seen such sexual or violent content. File picture: Getty Images

Worried about cyberbullying, grooming, and exposure to harmful content, many parents support a ban on smartphones in schools, in theory.

As it emerged this week that Education Minister Norma Foley is to support schools trying to ban smartphones, the eighth annual report from CyberSafeKids makes for scary reading when it comes to children’s safety online.