When 11-year-old Fatma Abdallah*, a bright pupil from Nyali, Mombasa, received her first smartphone as a birthday gift, her parents believed they were giving her a tool for learning and safety. Within months, however, her teachers noticed she was distracted in class, her grades had slipped and she had become withdrawn.
At home, her mother found her scrolling through social media late into the night, exposed to adult conversations and carefully curated images that left her questioning her appearance. What began as an act of love soon became a source of anxiety, raising questions about how early smartphone ownership is shaping the mental health of young girls.
Fatma’s story is far from unique. In Nairobi, 38-year-old Lydia Achieng says she bought her 10-year-old daughter a smartphone so they could stay connected while the child travelled to school.
“It felt safer knowing she could call me at any time,” Lydia says. “But I soon realised she was spending hours watching videos late into the night. She became moody and withdrawn and her grades dropped.”
She eventually installed parental controls and limited screen time to two hours a day.
“It wasn’t easy, but I had to take back control. I wish I’d waited until she was older.”
Teachers report similar concerns. Samuel Mwangi, a teacher at a private school in Kisumu, says smartphones have transformed classroom behaviour.
“We’re seeing children who struggle to concentrate and sometimes imitate inappropriate behaviour they’ve picked up online,” he says. “Girls are especially vulnerable to social media pressures. They compare themselves with idealised images, leading to poor self-esteem and, in some cases, online bullying.”
Across Kenya, children as young as eight are being given smartphones, often with little guidance. Experts warn that unrestricted access to digital spaces can have lasting consequences.
Child psychologist Jane Ngugi says adolescence is a critical stage of cognitive, emotional and social development.
Drawing on Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, she explains that young people are still forming their identities and learning how to build healthy relationships. Introducing smartphones too early, she says, can disrupt these developmental milestones.
“Constant exposure to idealised images damages self-esteem and body image, especially for girls, while late-night phone use disrupts sleep and emotional regulation.”
She notes that the teenage brain is especially susceptible because the prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making and self-control, is still developing. Endless scrolling, gaming and social media notifications trigger dopamine releases that reinforce addictive behaviour.
Research suggests children already experiencing mental health challenges are more likely to rely excessively on smartphones as a coping mechanism, further worsening their wellbeing.
Global studies using the Mind Health Quotient found girls who received smartphones at ages five or six were almost twice as likely to report severe suicidal thoughts as those who received their first phone at 13 or older. Early ownership was also linked to higher rates of aggression, emotional instability and lower self-worth.
Kenya is already witnessing similar trends. The Safe Online Curriculum, implemented between 2018 and 2020 in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Nakuru, reached 1,600 children aged 12 to 14. Awareness of online exploitation rose from 19 per cent to 90 per cent, while risky online behaviour dropped from nearly half of participants to less than a third.
Yet experts warn that online harms are evolving faster than interventions. A 2025 Watoto Watch study found that stigma, low digital literacy and fragmented reporting systems continue to prevent effective responses to online abuse.
Joshua Ongwae, Senior Advocacy Manager at ChildFund International, says governments worldwide are tightening restrictions on children’s social media use because of growing mental health concerns.
“The past few months have been pivotal, with countries including Australia, Brazil, Malaysia and the UK introducing or debating age restrictions for children’s access to social media,” he says.
He cites the Disrupting Harm study, conducted in six African countries, including Kenya, which found that three in 10 children who use the internet had encountered violent content online, while 15 per cent admitted posting abusive comments.
He also warns that emerging technologies are creating new risks.
“Generative AI is now being used to create child sexual abuse material, while algorithm-driven platforms, gaming and betting apps are exposing children to increasingly harmful content.”
Ngugi is calling for digital literacy to become compulsory in schools, stricter enforcement of age limits on social media platforms, graduated smartphone access based on age, and greater accountability for technology companies.
“We cannot leave this to parents alone,” she says. “The State has a responsibility to protect children online just as it protects them in physical spaces.”
Parents, however, remain the first line of defence. Ongwae urges families to have honest conversations about online risks, use parental controls, encourage safer digital platforms and avoid sharing children’s photographs online without their consent.
For Fatma’s mother, the lesson has been painful.
“I thought I was giving my daughter freedom and safety,” she says. “Instead, I opened the door to a world she wasn’t ready for. Now I know guidance isn’t optional. It’s the only way to protect her future.”