What is the functional difference between a smartphone and a tablet? Children have tablets as toddlers and while there is a downside, there are upsides. Like videogames and any other demonized thing kids enjoy we do have to take a second to ask about parenting. For some reason when it comes to smartphones parents are helpless although they are the only way kids get them and we have tools that give ultimate control to what they can acces. "Oh but their friends!" I guess it's good to know parents who make this claim would let their kids do drugs if their friends were too.
I don't think that kid should have access to gambling or that social media is great for them, but I think like candy and soda consumption, parents have more control than they don't.