"Children aged 8 to 10 spend on average 6 hours a day, and 11- to 14-year-olds 9 hours a day, while older teens (15 to 18) use screens for an average of 7.5 hours a day. If screen time for homework were included, the numbers would be much higher, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Almost all teens (95 percent) ages 13 to 17 have a smartphone."
"The most popular online platform for teens is YouTube. Nine-in-ten teens (90 percent) report using the site, followed by TikTok (63 percent), Instagram (61 percent), and Snapchat (55 percent). According to a 2025 survey by Common Sense Media, 72 percent of teens have used AI companions at least once, and about a third of teens use AI companions for romantic interactions, emotional support, and friendship."
"A toddler plays with an iPad as her mother pushes her in a stroller. The child ignores her surroundings, mesmerized by the device. A preteen plays Fortnite with his online friends. Most of these friends he doesn't know personally; he only knows them online. A group of adolescents is seated in a booth at a restaurant. They haven't acknowledged each other or said a thing to their friends because they are power scrolling on TikTok."
Children and teens spend substantial daily hours on screens, with toddlers averaging about 3.5 hours and older adolescents often exceeding seven hours. Smartphone ownership among teenagers is near-universal, and platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat dominate usage. Many teens experiment with AI companions for companionship and romantic interactions. Early childhood accounts for most brain development, and excessive screen exposure can reduce essential face-to-face interaction, play, and exploration that support cognitive and social growth. Excessive screen time also associates with physical risks, diminished real-world attention, and psychological problems across developmental stages.
Read at Psychology Today
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