Verizon just rolled out a new family-focused tech agreement designed to give parents and kids a clearer way to manage screen habits at home. It’s basically Verizon’s take on helping families set boundaries, reduce screen addiction, and stay on the same page about how devices get used day-to-day.
Verizon pushes its digital-wellbeing mission even further
It’s basically a written contract that families can sign with their kids to set clear expectations around digital habits. Verizon created it together with the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) and its own digital-wellbeing experts. It’s meant to be simple, realistic, and something both sides can actually stick to.
The most effective tech agreements are the ones families create side by side. When kids help shape the expectations, they’re far more likely to follow them — and to come back to parents when something feels confusing or unsafe.
– Stephen Balkam, Founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, December 2025
The agreement walks families through key areas, like deciding which devices are included – phones, tablets, smartwatches, whatever – and then setting rules together. Some of the topics include:
What screen time looks like in your home?
How to handle apps, purchases, and anything they do online?
How can your child use their device – which apps, when, and where?
What safety tools you’ll use – parental controls, location features, etc.
What happens when mistakes happen – and how to handle them without shame?
The agreement is in a digital form, though you could always print it out if you want to make it feel more “official.” | Image by Verizon
One thing I like about the contract is that it’s not just about the kid. The parents also have responsibilities, which honestly feels fair. Let’s be real – we struggle with phone addiction, too.
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And this agreement isn’t the only tool Verizon is offering. With the Verizon Family App and the resources in Parenting in a Digital World, parents can set screen-time limits, block inappropriate content, check location when it makes sense, and open ongoing conversations about digital habits and online behavior.
Big carriers paying attention is a good thing
I like seeing big tech companies actually address these issues. They give us the tech, so they might as well show us how to use it safely, right? Verizon has been pretty active in talking about screen addiction, and honestly, I think others like T-Mobile and AT&T should follow suit at some point.
Would you sign an actual tech agreement with your kid?
Yes, it could help.
0%
Maybe – depends on how strict it is.
0%
Not sure.
0%
No, that feels unnecessary.
0%
A real contract… with your kid
The Family Tech Agreement is formatted like an actual contract, and yeah, that might seem a little funny at first. Signing a document with your kid and hoping they will follow it – especially if they are teenagers – can feel a bit wishful. That’s just my take.
Still, it opens the door for honest conversations. And because it looks like a real document, kids are more likely to take it seriously. It is customizable too, so families can tweak it however they want.
This all connects to the bigger conversation about when kids should get their first phone and how that shapes their behavior. Around 70% of kids get their first smartphone in middle school, which is a pretty sensitive stage where they are still figuring out boundaries.
So when that first phone finally lands in their hands, that’s basically the perfect moment for parents to step in and set some ground rules.
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Tsveta, a passionate technology enthusiast and accomplished playwright, combines her love for mobile technologies and writing to explore and reveal the transformative power of tech. From being an early follower of PhoneArena to relying exclusively on her smartphone for photography, she embraces the immense capabilities of compact devices in our daily lives. With a Journalism degree and an explorative spirit, Tsveta not only provides expert insights into the world of gadgets and smartphones but also shares a unique perspective shaped by her diverse interests in travel, culture, and visual storytelling.
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