Mobile phones are a great gift for kids and teenagers this Christmas whether it's their first phone or the latest model.

However with a phone, comes the danger of cyber criminals, social media and the darkside of the internet.

Founder and Editor of Pickr.com.au, Leigh Stark told Shane Doherty on 4BC Summer Drive, 'It's a question of how much independence you necessarily afford them.'

'The upside to family link sort of controls are that you can sort of designate when they're allowed to use their phone,' Stark said.

'You can designate that they're only allowed to use their phone for an hour when they come home from school or likewise you can designate the sort of websites they visit.

'I think the more important thing is the sort of schedule, if they're in class, you can actually designate a full system of saying that they can't actually use their phone inside school until school's actually out,' Stark continued.