At Rebel Therapies, we have spent years supporting families devastated by the darker side of smartphones and social media. We have worked with parents whose children have experienced online grooming, cyberbullying, emotional breakdowns, blackmail and severe screen dependency. We have seen families pushed to breaking point by addictive technology that many feel powerless to control.
For our founder, Munur Shah, this mission is deeply personal. Long before Rebel Therapies existed, Munur recognised the impact screen addiction was having inside his own home. Working in high-pressure corporate environments, he found himself constantly connected to his phone, answering emails late into the night and becoming emotionally disconnected from the people around him. Over time, he began to notice the same unhealthy behaviours emerging within his own family.
That experience sparked years of research into screen addiction, behavioural psychology and the hidden mechanisms behind modern technology platforms.
Now, after years of supporting families through coaching, workshops and awareness training, Rebel Therapies is launching a bold new initiative designed to tackle the issue from a completely different angle.
Introducing Rebel Telecom and the upcoming Rebel Phone.
Why Rebel Telecom Was Created
Rebel Telecom was created because too many parents feel trapped between two impossible choices: giving their child unrestricted access to smartphones and social media or isolating them completely from modern technology.
Over the years, Munur Shah and the Rebel Therapies team have worked closely with schools, safeguarding professionals, councils and families across London, Hertfordshire and the wider UK. This has included delivering specialist screen addiction awareness talks, workshops and training sessions for organisations such as Barnet Council’s Early Years Standards Team. Again and again, the same fears continued to surface from parents:
- How do I keep my child safe online?
- How do I stop them becoming addicted to their phone?
- How do I protect them from harmful content, predators and social media pressure without cutting them off from the modern world entirely?
Rebel Telecom was born from the belief that families deserve a safer middle ground.
What Is the Rebel Phone?
The Rebel Phone is a child-conscious smartphone developed by Rebel Telecom to give children a safer and healthier introduction to technology.
The project is also being developed alongside Eli Samuel, founder of SafeTelecom and a telecommunications innovator who rebuilt Android from the operating system level to create a truly browser-free smartphone experience for children. His expertise in child-safe mobile technology has helped shape the Rebel Phone’s safer and more controlled digital environment.
Unlike traditional smartphones that rely on removable parental control apps, the Rebel Phone is being built with its own custom operating system called RebelOS.
The aim is to reduce many of the risks associated with modern smartphones, including:
- Unrestricted internet browsing
- Exposure to harmful online content
- Addictive app design
- Social media overexposure
- Endless scrolling and constant notifications
- Easy bypassing of parental controls
At the same time, the phone is designed to allow children to stay connected safely with family, communication tools and educational resources.
Why We Developed the Rebel Phone
At Rebel Therapies, we are not anti-technology. We believe technology has the power to educate, connect and empower people when used intentionally and responsibly. However, many mainstream platforms are designed to compete aggressively for attention, encourage compulsive behaviour and keep young people online for as long as possible.
After years of witnessing the emotional consequences this can have on children and families, we believe something has to change.
Munur Shah explains, “I have worked with families whose children have been groomed online, blackmailed, bullied and emotionally consumed by their phones. Parents are terrified, but many feel there are no real alternatives available to them.
Rebel Telecom was created because families deserve a safer option. We believe there has to be a healthier middle ground between unrestricted smartphone access and removing children from technology altogether.”
Supporting Families, Schools and Safeguarding Professionals With Growing Screen Concerns
The launch of Rebel Telecom comes at a time when concerns around children’s online safety, smartphone dependency and social media harm are dominating national conversations across schools, safeguarding organisations and government.
Through Rebel Therapies, our team has already worked alongside schools, councils, parents and organisations to raise awareness around screen addiction, healthier digital habits and online safeguarding. The Rebel Phone represents the next step in that mission.
The Rebel Phone and Rebel Telecom network are expected to launch soon, with further announcements around partnerships, school initiatives and device features coming in the months ahead.