Is Your Child at Risk of Breaking the Law With Their Phone?

In a world where smartphones are in nearly every child’s hand, most parents assume a false sense of safety—especially if their child is just “chatting with friends” or “scrolling through TikTok.” But the reality is far more dangerous… and far more legally complicated.

In Episode 4 of our Safe Parenting with Funkyfing podcast, Dr. Anke de Beer pulls back the curtain on a disturbing story that’s becoming all too common: a 14-year-old girl arrested and criminally charged after sharing explicit images of herself on a platform resembling OnlyFans.

Yes, even selfies sent to a boyfriend can be classified as manufacturing and distributing child pornography under South African law.

What Every Parent Must Know

This episode is a wake-up call for all parents, guardians, and caregivers. Children are navigating a digital world that is fast-moving, unregulated, and often invisible to adults. In this episode, we unpack:

✅ How easily children can be groomed online, even by someone they think they know
✅ The dangers of mainstream apps like OnlyFans, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok
✅ How deepfake AI and “nudify” apps are weaponizing technology to exploit kids
✅ The psychological toll of screen exposure, and how it rewires the developing brain
✅ Real stories of blackmail, child suicide, and the dark web of online predators
✅ What legal risks parents face when their children unknowingly break cybercrime laws
✅ Practical steps for digital parenting in a hyperconnected world

Why Giving a Smartphone Without Boundaries Is Dangerous

As Dr. de Beer warns, “Giving a child a smartphone without limits is like handing them a loaded weapon.” These devices offer no protection on their own—just access.

Smartphones give children unsupervised access to:

• Predators who pose as peers

• Anonymous extortionists using AI to create fake nudes

• An addictive digital culture that rewards risky behaviour

You Can Do Something

The good news? You’re not powerless. Here are a few things you can do today:

• 📱 Opt for controlled technology – like the Funkyfing smartwatch, designed for safety

• 📖 Educate yourself and your kids – books like The Digital Dilemma and Jamie’s New Friend are great places to start

• 🏫 Support smartphone-free schools – and normalize screen boundaries

• 🔎 Monitor and talk about your child’s digital life – often and openly

• 🛑 Delay giving your child full internet access until they’re developmentally ready

Ignorance Is No Longer an Excuse

You may think your child is safe because they’re under your roof or because you “trust them.” But today’s digital threats don’t wait for a parent’s permission.

This episode is essential listening for every parent.

🎧 Watch to Episode 4: Is Your Child at Risk of Breaking the Law With Their Phone?
👉 Youtube

At Funkyfing, our mission is to create safer tech for kids. Our smartwatches give children the connectivity they crave, with the boundaries parents trust. Because safety should come standard.

➡️ Explore our smartwatches for kids here: Funkyfing Jr1
➡️ Subscribe to the podcast and share this post with others—you could be the reason another parent avoids tragedy.

Stay informed. Stay connected. Stay safe.

—The Funkyfing Team