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Robbie Williams has sparked debate after describing parents who give their children smartphones as committing a form of “abuse.”
The 51-year-old singer, who shares four children with his wife Ayda Field, made the comments during an interview with ITV News, where he opened up about his strict stance on kids and technology. The former Take That star revealed that none of his children are allowed to have phones, and he plans to stick to that rule for as long as possible.
“They don’t have phones. They’re not going to have phones for as long as humanly possible,” Robbie explained. “And you know they’re gonna go, they are at school, other people have phones, why can’t I have a phone? Tough. That’s as simple as it is.”
Robbie went on to compare smartphones and internet use to a dangerous addiction, insisting that even as an adult he finds the online world overwhelming. “I’m 51, I can’t deal with the corrosive nature of the internet and things. It hurts me. It ruins my day,” he admitted. He then asked how he could possibly justify exposing children to the same pressures, calling the decision to give a child a phone “abuse.” “How can I give this drug to a 12-year-old? How can I give this drug to a seven-year-old? It’s abuse.”
Robbie and Ayda are famously protective of their children’s privacy. While the couple occasionally share glimpses of family life on social media, they generally keep their kids away from public scrutiny. One of the rare exceptions was in 2018, when their eldest daughter Teddy appeared as a bridesmaid at the royal wedding of family friend Princess Eugenie. Robbie said he and Ayda are determined to let their children grow up outside the pressures of fame and online attention, something he himself struggled with throughout his career.
The singer’s comments have divided opinion, with many parents praising his stance while others argue that phones are an unavoidable part of modern childhood. Child psychologists and parenting experts continue to warn about the risks of excessive screen time and online exposure, particularly around social media use in young children. As debates rage on about the right age for kids to own a phone, Robbie’s hardline approach has certainly reignited the conversation. And for now, his kids won’t be scrolling, snapping, or texting any time soon.
