Mobile phones at the Christmas dinner table – yes or no?

Mobile phones and social media are having an increasing impact on children worldwide.

So much so, social media has now been banned in Australia for all those under the age of 16.

Christmas is usually an opportunity to spend time with family and loved ones.

Unique British Christmas traditions

But a recent survey, run by More in Common for Yondr, of 2,009 UK adults, including 634 parents of 0 to 18-year-olds, showed some children may be spending more time on their phones than with family this Christmas.

Should children be allowed to have mobile phones at the Christmas dinner table?

The survey found that 48% of parents will allow their children (who are 18 or under) to have mobile phones at the dinner table on Christmas Day in 2025.

Will you be allowing your children to have their mobile phones at the Christmas dinner table this year?

Smartphones to cause disruptions this Christmas

The survey by More in Common for Yondr also found:

• 38% adults say smartphones have disrupted their festive season in some way
• 19% said children no longer properly interact with relatives at Christmas (30% for parents of 0 to 18-year-olds)
• 23% of parents said their children cannot sit through a Christmas film without checking a device
• 34% of parents (with children aged under 18) said smartphones have distracted people at Christmas dinner before

Social media “chipping away” at children’s attention spans

This survey comes after Ofsted raised concerns that social media is “chipping away” at children’s attention spans and promoting disrespectful behaviour.

What’s happening in kids’ online lives?

Our latest report shows:
💙 72% of teens use social media to connect with friends
🧠 69% use it to support their wellbeing
⚠️ But 7 in 10 have seen harmful content
🛡️ And 64% have acted by reporting, or blocking etc. pic.twitter.com/HASqe9QpfR

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— Ofcom (@Ofcom) December 10, 2025

The most recent Ofcom data revealed that children aged between eight and 14 are spending an average of nearly three hours online every day.

Ofcom also found young people were spending a “significant amount” of time online on phones and other devices late into the night.

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These findings also come after Australia’s social media ban for under-16s came into force last week.

Minister for digital economy, Baroness Lloyd of Effra, told the Lords last week that Labour is “closely monitoring” Australia’s approach to age restrictions.

“When it comes to children’s safety, nothing is off the table, but any action must be based on robust evidence,” she said.