A standoff device for assisting in maintaining a handheld portable communications device a predetermined distance away from a user's head. Some embodiments use one or more rigid members stowable on the communication device and deployable there from to contact the user's head to establish and indicate a predetermined spaced-apart distance. Some embodiments incorporate panels of resilient materials or fabric for communications privacy. Some embodiments use an electronic range finder on the communications device to alarm when the device is held too close to the head. The standoff device may be attached to or built into the housing of the communications device or may be attached to or built into a case for the communications device.