Don't think I'm who you'd want to hear from, still pregnant with first, so I like reading this subreddit.

But I don't plan on getting my son a smartphone at all. I don't care what the norm is in 13 years I see no reason a teen that age needs a smartphone personally - but I've also seen my cousins lose and break multiple smartphones their parents buy them. I'm not gonna shell out money for that to happen. If I get him any phone it'll be a phone with basic abilities to call and text. No Internet. Maybe give him one of my old smartphones (cause I obviously have one but I pay for it myself entirely different story!) With things locked down as much as possible. And if I'm paying for the phone, there is no expectation of privacy on it. I own it I can look at it whenever I want to.

If he wants a proper smart phone he can pay for it himself when he's 16, or if he wants to save up any money he earns before then etc. Then, because he bought and paid for it himself, I'd respect his privacy with it, but we'd also have a very huge talk about being safe with it.

I think the people viewing it as an invasion of privacy are viewing it from the kids side. I kind of feel that way about the tracking, but my kids not here yet so that could obviously change. I just know personally I'd feel like my parents felt I was untrustworthy and a liar or something if they insisted on tracking me - but frankly (not saying your kid isnt) I was a very good little geeky teen. The type where I told my parents everything to the point where they'd tell me they didn't need to know every little thing I did haha. And I lived in a small Town, less than a ten minute walk to school, and a ten minute walk in the other direction to our tiny little mall with the theatre and stuff so I don't think my parents worried too much.