Modern phones have parental controls that let you limit app usage, of course that doesn’t apply to friends’ phones, but if they are socializing in-person with friends close enough to lend their phone at least there’s some level of child development success there.

And phones are hardly the worst thing friends can get your kid into... I remember the main concern being alcohol or drugs, which I think have since declined (at least among youth).

I have to say I am not familiar with the attacks based on browsing history you speak of though. How/why does this happen? Are you forced to make it public?