At what age should parents allow children to have a phone?

I'd say around 12 or 13 is reasonable for a first phone - old enough to understand basic responsibility but still needing guidance. The main issue is that smartphones can easily distract from schoolwork, which I've seen with my younger cousin in Hangzhou. She got a phone at 11 and started spending hours watching short videos instead of doing homework. That said, completely banning phones isn't practical either - they're useful for safety and school apps. The key is setting clear limits, like no phones during study time or at meals.