How Do Tech Experts Keep Their Kids Safe Online?

Parents everywhere are asking the same question: how do I protect my children online when technology feels impossible to control?

Parents often feel out of their depth when it comes to screens, apps, and social media. The pace of change is relentless: new platforms arrive, old ones disappear, and children often seem to know more about the technology than their parents do.

So how do the people who build our digital world handle this with their own children? A recent article in The Guardian asked tech insiders how they approach digital parenting. Their answers reveal a powerful truth: keeping kids safe online isn’t just about controls or bans. It’s about timing, balance, and building the right foundations long before smartphones arrive.

Why this matters now

The numbers are stark. By age 9, around 40% of children already own a smartphone. By 13, nearly all do. At the same time, most parents (66% in the UK) say they feel unprepared to guide their child’s digital use. And 86% express concern about online risks such as exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and screen addiction.

Tech insiders know these risks first-hand — and their choices suggest that we don’t have to accept “early and unlimited” as inevitable.

Three things tech experts do differently

1. Delay where you can, guide where you can’t.

Many Silicon Valley parents are cautious about giving their children smartphones. They delay social media access until high school, and often start with simple phones that allow calls and texts but no apps. Why? Because they know that the challenge isn’t learning to tap a touchscreen — it’s learning how to manage distraction, comparison, and pressure.

When screens are unavoidable (for homework, for example), they don’t simply hand them over. They stay close, co-use where possible, and make sure online time is balanced with offline play.

2. Build emotional and social skills first.

Every expert agrees: the strongest form of online safety isn’t technical. It’s human. Empathy, resilience, critical thinking, and self-control are the “filters” children need most.

A child who can pause and ask:

• “How might this post make someone else feel?”

• “Is this true, or is it trying to trick me?”

• “Is this helping me, or just wasting my time?”

…is far better protected than one who simply has parental controls in place.

These skills can — and should — be nurtured well before a smartphone enters their lives.

3. Model the behaviour you want to see.

Children copy what they see, not what they’re told. If we’re glued to our own phones at dinner, or scrolling in bed, they learn that’s normal. Tech insiders know their own habits set the tone, so they:

• keep phones out of bedrooms,

• make mealtimes screen-free, and

• create rituals that show children tech is just one part of life, not the centre of it.

Where Radish fits in

This philosophy is at the heart of Radish. We don’t tell parents “never” or “always.” Instead, we help families build the foundation skills that make later smartphone use safer, healthier, and more balanced.

Our Hole in the Fence storybook series is designed for children aged 7–11, the window when empathy, perspective-taking, and critical thinking begin to flourish. Through stories about jealousy, fairness, cheating, or peer pressure, children practice the exact skills they’ll need when digital challenges arrive.

Because the real preparation for online life doesn’t come from apps or tutorials. It comes from conversations — asking questions, sharing perspectives, and learning to see the world through someone else’s eyes.

What parents can do today

You don’t need to be a tech expert to use the same strategies. Here are three practical steps any family can take:

1. Delay with confidence.

If your child is younger than 13, it’s perfectly reasonable to hold off on a smartphone. Social media platforms themselves recommend 13+ for a reason. A simple phone for calls and texts is enough for safety and independence.

2. Use stories to spark conversations.

Children learn best when ideas feel real. Use books, films, or even everyday playground conflicts as springboards:

• “How do you think that character felt?”

• “What would you have done?”

• “How would this play out online?”

This builds empathy and judgement in ways that stick.

3. Model boundaries.

Small changes in your own habits have a huge impact. Try:

• Putting phones in a basket during meals.

• Leaving devices outside bedrooms at night.

• Having regular “tech-off” times as a family.

These rituals make balance visible and normal.

The bigger picture

When it comes to online safety, the conversation too often focuses on fear. But the truth is more hopeful. Children are not doomed to be overwhelmed by technology. With the right guidance, they can grow into confident, thoughtful digital citizens.

Tech experts know this. They don’t just rely on filters or monitoring apps. They invest in relationships, conversations, and the slow work of helping children grow in empathy and resilience.

At Radish, we want every family to feel that same confidence — not just reacting to technology, but leading the way.

Because the best way to keep kids safe online isn’t to fear the future. It’s to prepare them for it.