It sounds like you had overbearing parents, which is honestly as bad or worse than overly loose parents. Unfortunately, most parents seem to go too far down one end of the spectrum or the other.

And that's precisely why I don't care what other parents do. If my kids want something, they know they need to use well-reasoned arguments and show through their behavior that they can be trusted. In general, this means my kids often get to do things before their peers (e.g. my kid was riding to the park alone at least a year before their peers), but it also means they just don't get to do certain things (e.g. I refuse to let them play F2P games like Fortnite because of the predatory marketing). In general, I either fully trust my kids, or I don't trust them at all. Either we have ice cream in the house where they can easily get it, or we have nothing in the house. I don't believe in parental controls, content filters, tracking devices, etc, so either they have full access, or they have none. That's generally how my parents raised me: trust, with steep consequences. And that's how real life works, either you follow the rules, or you get hit with severe consequences.

I'm sorry if your parents weren't understanding. I think the best approach is to articulate from a very young age that every rule is up for discussion, but that only accept well-reasoned arguments will be accepted (and "but my friends get to do it" isn't a valid argument). If my kids ask, I'll provide reasons for every rule we have and what needs to happen in order for those rules to change. I want to give my kids privileges, but I won't until they prove they're ready for them. If my kids get their own phone, they'll have earned it and the trust that goes along with it.