Setting up a first phone

Do these at setup

• Child account. Both iOS and Android have a family setup giving a parent approval over installs and purchases. Converting an adult account to a child account afterwards generally requires a factory reset.
• App store approval. Requiring approval for each install is a standard option and can be relaxed later.
• Age restrictions. Social platforms set minimum ages. Restrictions applied at setup are easier to maintain than restrictions introduced after an app is in use.
• Downtime and app limits. Available on both platforms and configurable per app.
• Location sharing. Can be set in both directions.
• Passcode. Whether a parent holds it is easier to establish at setup than to introduce later.

Limits of platform controls

Platform controls cover installs, screen time and age ratings. They do not cover what happens inside apps a child is permitted to use, and they can generally be worked around by a determined user. They are a starting position rather than a complete solution.