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I want to pass my old smartphone on to my child. Is this really safe?

Children are getting their first smartphone at an increasingly younger age. A smartphone is not a cheap toy, so it happens that parents do not buy a new one for their offspring, but pass their own device on to a child. But is that a good idea? Is it safe enough?

If you want to pass your own device on to a child, there are some things to bear in mind.

Use an up-to-date device

Be sure that the smartphone is up-to-date and to turn on automatic updates. https://www.safeonweb.be/en/do-regular-updates

If the smartphone is deprecated and does not receive new updates anymore, then it’s not a good idea to pass it to another user.

Reset the device to factory settings
  • iPhone : Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings. 
  • Android : On most phones, you can reset your phone through the Settings app. If you cannot find the button, please check your phone's manufacture's.

When you reset a phone to its factory settings, all data is erased from the phone.

Use a dedicated user account for the device

Create a new account for the smartphone, especially if your old account was linked to your credit card.

Last but not least

Make sure your child's device is secure and teach your child how to use it smartly: https://www.safeonweb.be/en/secure-mobile-devices