Last Updated: 1st August 2025, 13:45
Although today's generation of young adults has grown up with modern technology, once they become parents themselves, they may suffer from the same quiet, persistent worry about what their children are accessing online as their own parents did.
Questions arise, such as what content are they accessing? Are they truly safe online? For many parents of growing teenagers, navigating the digital landscape with them can feel overwhelming because of an endless maze of apps, websites, and ever-evolving risks.
But good news is on the horizon for families seeking greater peace of mind. EE, a leading mobile network, is stepping up with innovative new SIM-only phone plans designed specifically to offer enhanced parental internet control for under-18s, launching this month (August 2025).
Tailored for Youth Phone Use
This is significant news for UK families worried about the safety of their teens online, as EE becomes the first major network to introduce smartphone plans with teenagers in mind. These new EE youth phone plans, starting from a very reasonable £7 per month, are about empowering parents with tools to enable responsible internet access for youths. They aim to strike a balance, allowing teenagers to enjoy the benefits of connectivity while eliminating exposure to potentially worrying content.
The core of EE's new offering lies in its tiered approach to content filtering. Recognising that a "one-size-fits-all" approach does not work for varying ages and levels of maturity, EE will provide different levels of protection:
- "Protected" for preteens: This tier comes with "strict" web access controls, designed for younger children taking their first steps into the smartphone world.
- "Guided" and "Trusted" for older teens: These plans offer "moderate" controls, supporting growing independence while still providing essential safeguards.
These EE internet restriction plans are engineered to filter the web at a network level when using mobile data, surpassing the existing Ofcom requirements for blocking adult (18+) content. Teenagers attempting to visit inappropriate websites via a 4G or 5G connection on an EE-filtered plan will find that the pages will not display. This approach to website filtering offers an extra layer of protection for children's online safety.
Other Features Useful for Parents
Going beyond content filtering on these plans, EE includes other thoughtful features parents can use. For younger teens, reduced internet speeds are designed to limit streaming, encouraging more mindful screen time limits.
All plans also come with built-in protection against scam calls, adding another layer of security against common digital threats that vulnerable teenagers often face. These features demonstrate a genuine commitment to safe teen device management.
It is essential to acknowledge a key point here: these controls apply specifically to content accessed via mobile data on the EE network. As with any mobile data-based solution, they cannot filter content accessed when a device is connected to Wi-Fi, which operates independently. However, as Claire Gillies, head of the consumer division of BT (which owns EE), wisely points out, "As a parent of a teenager, I too have had to balance the benefits and challenges that come with giving our children their first smartphone." Even with this distinction, these EE phone plans for kids still represent a significant leap forward in providing parents with more guidance for controlling access to the internet and helping them feel more in control.
Conclusion
While no "silver bullet" exists for every digital challenge, EE's new SIM-only plans for under-18s are a reassuring step towards greater internet safety for teens. For parents grappling with concerns about what their children are exposed to online, these plans offer a valuable tool and provide a much-needed sense of reassurance for parents of teenagers.
