Why You Should Disable Your Child's Phone Camera

October 5, 2026 - 20:22

A tech professional is urging parents to take a simple step that could protect their children from serious risks. Ben Gillenwater, who describes himself as the family I.T. guy, believes it is safer for kids if the camera on their phone is switched off entirely in the settings.

His reasoning is straightforward. A phone camera can be activated remotely by someone who gains access to the device, and children may not realize when it is happening. Turning the camera off at the system level prevents apps and strangers from using it without permission.

Gillenwater points out that many parents focus on monitoring messages and social media but overlook the hardware itself. A disabled camera closes a door that predators and hackers often try to open. The change takes only a minute in most phone settings menus.

He also recommends reviewing which apps already have camera access and removing that permission where it is not needed. For younger children, he suggests keeping the camera off by default and only enabling it for specific occasions under supervision.

The advice is not about banning photos or video calls. It is about control. Parents who decide when the camera works, rather than leaving it available at all times, give their children a safer digital environment without taking away the fun of using a phone.