A new advisory from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has declared rising screen time among children and teenagers a public health concern. The report warns that exposure to phones, tablets, and computers often begins before a child’s first birthday, and by adolescence, many spend over eight hours per day on screens-more time than they spend sleeping or in school.
The advisory links early and excessive screen use to developmental risks, including attention deficits, poor social skills, and behavioral issues. Among teenagers, the report highlights a strong connection between screen time and mental health declines, particularly from social media use. Physical consequences include obesity, poor cardiovascular health, sleep disruption, and a projected rise in myopia, which could affect nearly 40% of children globally by 2050.
Officials are calling for a whole-of-society approach: delaying children’s access to digital devices, instituting school bans, and modeling healthy online behavior. The advisory also urges tech companies to display warnings about addictive design and to nudge young users toward outdoor play and family interaction. It warns that society cannot wait for every question to be settled before acting, as technology is now embedded in daily life.