Majority of adolescents own a phone. I think the advantages out weigh the disadvantages simply because owning a smartphone can help a teenager who is in danger.
Mobile phones are extremely fast and helps keep us safe. When a child is in danger he or she can contact emergency services. If a child did not own a smartphone they would be in so much trouble and they would not be safe. In the past there was a lot of child abductions happening because they did not own a phone nor it was the norm to own one. Mobile phones are extremely fast and efficient if a child was in danger they can easily get help. For instance, the company apple introduced a safety feature if the user is in trouble they can double tap on the devices power button and emergency services will be dispatched to the users location. This feature already saved so many children.
On the other hand, there is still disadvantages to owning a device. A child can be endangered online, and are exposed to cyber bullying that can harm their mental health and lead to depression or low self esteem issues. For example there was one case that a teenager was bullied so severely that it lead to there passing. I think that this issue can be tackled if parents limit their child’s social media access because teenagers still need phones without them they can not communicate to emergency services if needed.
To conclude, I think the benefits definitely out weigh the disadvantages because owning a phone can help a young person who is in danger.