Like me, it will be something every parent and guardian has pondered. A phone can open up a new world of exciting possibilities, but it also exposes children to dangers many of us never had to face as a child.

As a father of three, I know sometimes it's not easy getting your children to listen to the potential dangers of an exciting new device. So I'm really proud to say at EE, we’re teaming up with Beano to help parents and guardians learn how to support and educate their children on responsible phone use and show how our PhoneSmart Licence helps Dennis and Minnie stay safe online.

EE's PhoneSmart Licence is a free course that teaches children and parents how to be kind and safe when they’re using the internet. It's available to anyone on any network – not just EE customers – and is designed to prepare children for the big wide world that a connected device can open up for them by giving them the tools to stay safe and be kind online. It is also designed to give parents and guardians the confidence to prepare their child with the digital skills they need for a brighter future.

The Beano comic strip, which has been specially created in partnership with EE, stars Mr and Mrs Menace and their son Dennis, and brings to life the potential perils of the online world. The comic has been created to provide parents and guardians with actionable tips they can follow to keep their kids safe and help them be kind to others when they’re online.

It tells the story of Dennis picking up his first mobile phone at an EE store  before getting into some characteristic scrapes by making prank calls, uploading a video of his cousin Minnie without her consent and downloading age-inappropriate apps. All of which can happen without the correct guidance. As well as comic japes, the Beano content also provides parents with useful tips and advice to help parents support their children to be a responsible online citizen and to use their phone safely.

As the UK’s best network, we have a responsibility to be there for our customers – and not just in the digital space. I’m so proud of the way our retail colleagues help customers every day in our stores in our communities up and down the UK, treating people like they would want to be treated. So it’s really exciting to see those worlds come together, with Michelle Ager, from our Chelmsford store, immortalised in the Beano comic. Here she is in real life!

Michelle’s appearance in Beanotown coincides Michelle’s appearance in Beanotown coincides with Dennis and Minnie getting their first phones. They (eventually) take her advice and get their EE PhoneSmart Licence, which means they can help keep each other safe with tools including turning off their geolocation (because you should never share your location with strangers), age appropriate web filters, muting, blocking and reporting online hate, and more.

Our EE PhoneSmart Licence takes approximately one hour to complete and features a range of engaging storylines and interactive quizzes and activities. It highlights the benefits and dangers of tech use and provides a platform for children to understand how to report instances of online abuse, hate, discrimination and cyberbullying. We created PhoneSmart in collaboration with experts from Internet Matters, and in consultation with Home-Start, ChildNet, Marie Collins Foundation and the Anti-Bullying Alliance.

EE teaming up with Beano comes hot on the heels of EE’s Hope United campaign that ran alongside this summer’s UEFA Women's European Championships and brought together a team of elite footballers united to tackle online sexist hate with a series of digital skills.

It’s so important that we play our part in helping educate young people. That’s why EE will continue to help shape a safer online world, giving others the confidence and knowhow they need for a brighter future.

Search EE PhoneSmart to access the free online course and visit ee.co.uk/beano to watch the animated Beano comic .

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New research commissioned by EE has found that 52% of parents admit that they would not be able to survive the online world if they were a child today. 

Additionally, 60% of parents fear that even their kids know very little about how to protect themselves when using their phones. While 74% of mums and dads have tried to educate their children, a concerning 55% admit that if their child saw something unsuitable online they wouldn’t know how to stop them seeing it again.

What’s more, parents’ fears aren’t only focused on exposure to unsuitable content, but also on their kids’ own behaviour, too - 35% of parents think their kids are always truthful about their identity or age online, with 10% going further and saying they think their kids are usually untruthful about their age.  Furthermore 24% of parents are more worried about their child’s activity online than offline. The data even showed that 20% fear that their child could be guilty of sending unkind messages themselves although 57% admitted ignorance is bliss as they don’t look at their kids’ phones for fear of what they’ll find. 

With a growing concern around the impact of phone use and 24% of parents worrying that phones actually make their child unhappy, 66% are calling for online platforms to do more to protect children. To address this, EE have created the PhoneSmart Licence - an online course educating children from all mobile network providers on how to stay safe and be kind online. It was created in partnership with experts from Internet Matters to give parents that additional peace of mind as their children enter the online world.

To help parents learn how to support and educate their children on safe phone usage, EE has launched a specially created Beano comic strip starring iconic characters Mrs Menace and Dennis showcasing the potential perils of the online world, and providing parents with actionable tips to ensure their kids stay safe and are kind online. 

The comic strip shows Dennis picking up his first phone at an EE store before getting into some characteristic scrapes by making prank calls, uploading a video of his cousin Minnie without her consent and downloading age inappropriate apps - all of which can occur without the correct guidance. 

As well as the comic strip japes, the Beano content also provides parents with useful tips and advice to help parents support their children to be a responsible online citizen and to use their phone safely. 

Mat Sears, Director of Corporate Affairs, Consumer Division, said: “As a lifelong Beano fan it’s a real joy to see characters I’ve loved grapple with the same challenges every parent faces when their kids explore the online world. From learning who to trust online, through to which apps and games are safer to use - our comic strips provide parents and kids alike a fun and engaging way to learn how to safely use their phones.”

Carolyn Bunting, CEO of Internet Matters said: “Resources such as EE’s PhoneSmart Licence are helping to address the need for educational resources for young people and their parents. Even in an environment where the internet is second nature, campaigns such as this are vital in helping to increase understanding of the risks of the digital world and how to overcome them.”

EE has shared its top tips to help children stay safe and be kind online which you can watch in the animated comic strips:

Surfing the web unsupervised

• Set up web filters so you don’t see things you shouldn’t. On an Apple device, this can be done in your screen time settings. On Android, this can be done on SafeSearch settings.
• If anyone is mean to you, you can mute, block and report them and tell a responsible adult. Your phone can tell where you are, but that means other people on the web may be able to find out too. You should never share your location with strangers – you can turn off your geolocation in settings. 

Downloading apps and games

• Apps have a minimum age limit, while games have a PEGI rating so you can see if it’s appropriate for you. The age rating can be found listed where you downloaded the app, and a game’s PEGI rating can be found on the PEGI website www.pegi.info. 
• It’s easy to lose track of time, so set reminders to take a break using your phone’s timer.
• Give your eyes and brain a rest. You can see how long you’ve spent on an app in your screen time settings. 
• Go to settings and turn off notifications when it’s time to get some sleep. 

To find out more about the EE and Beano campaign and see the comic strip, visit ee.co.uk/beano 

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