#screen-time

#screen-time

Australia's social media age restrictions, which came into effect on December 10, 2025, prohibit young people under the age of 16 from creating or holding accounts on major social media platforms (Australia eSafety Commissioner, 2025). Many American teens and young adults I speak with applaud this reform. They understand the pressure and harm of early and excessive exposure to social media. This legislation reflects the growing awareness that social media can include addictive designs, cyberbullying or abuse, and exposure to illegal and explicit content.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad, tap your name at the top and select Family. Tap Add Member, then Create Child Account, and follow the onscreen prompts. You'll need to provide your child's name and birth date, along with parental consent using your own Apple ID password. Once created, the account is automatically added to your Family Sharing group.

The Online Nation report found on average, people in the UK spent four hours and 30 minutes online every day in 2025 - 31 minutes longer than in 2021. Psychologist Dr Aric Sigman told the BBC this was not a problem in itself, but what mattered was "what this time is displacing and how this may harm mental health". He added the "good news" was society was "beginning to question online time more critically".

That's why it's so worrisome that we're inadvertently subjecting a large group of these children to an epic amount of internet brain rot that's disrupting that crucial period, according to an analytical report from researchers at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), a British policy group focused on people in poverty - a state of affairs that's likely resulting in sprawling deleterious outcomes.

The internet and advertising go together like strawberries and cream. These days, it can be tricky navigating online without running into at least a couple of ads, and sometimes they're so dominating that it can be difficult getting the information you want from a website. Even apps like Apple Maps might start showing ads by 2026. Fortunately, someone has come up with a rather unique solution for your iPhone.

I had assumed they would be aghast at the impunity of their school administrators in taking the phones away. Instead, a majority of the teens that my colleagues and I have spoken to seem to welcome the break from their phones. There is less pressure to respond to social media feeds or to constantly check their texts. They also report that their school cafeteria has become a popular spot to hang out and chat with friends.

More time using electronic devices or watching TV among children and young adults was linked with higher cardiometabolic disease risk, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance, based on data from more than 1,000 participants in Denmark. The association between screen time and cardiometabolic risks was strongest in youth who slept fewer hours, suggesting that screen use may harm health by "stealing" time from sleep, researchers said.

I'm pretty sure that two generations ago, they would have been more like I was: always with their nose in some volume, looking up only to cross the street or to guide a fork on their plates. But today, even in our book-crammed home, where their father is often in a cozy reading chair, their eyes are more likely to be glued to a screen.

"In my opinion, it's because the natural, human interaction that used to be part of daily life is no longer there. For example, growing up, my neighborhood was FULL of kids who all played outside. Riding their bikes, running around, inevitably meeting other kids, and navigating those interactions. There was no internet, no phones - just human interaction. A lot is learned through that."

Writing a picture book isn't easy. Some people might think it is-especially if they've read enough bad ones-but writing a true gem of children's literature is exceptionally hard work. Great children's books make kids laugh and adults cry, have rhythm, meter, and great pictures, and somehow speak to something deep in a child's soul, making them want to return to the pages again and again.

The problem is not just social media, but rather the quick "hits" of news, entertainment, and other information we experience all day long. These short bites, without context, are diminishing our prefrontal neural networks and affecting our ability to plan, organize, and solve problems. Teens who think they understand an issue because they've seen a 15-second video about it have not only missed the news, but they've missed the opportunity to understand context, evaluate sources, and draw conclusions. And it's damaging their brains along the way.

Smartphones aren't just for calls and texts anymore; they're how most Americans handle just about everything. As of 2023, over 91% of people in the U.S. own one, according to the Pew Research Center, and the average person now spends over four hours a day glued to their phone screen, according to a 2025 eMarketer study. In this article, Spokeo breaks down screen time: How much time people spend on their phones?

More and more people are ditching their iPhones and Samsungs for so-called "dumbphones" or "feature phones". Once mocked as relics of the early 2000s, these devices are enjoying a quiet comeback. From teenagers wanting fewer distractions to parents worried about screen addiction, the UK is seeing a small but significant trend that surprises tech companies. And while Brits simplify their devices, they still find ways to enjoy modern pleasures-from streaming to new casinos

Reading aloud from birth is one of the most powerful predictors of literacy and school success. More than a warm bedtime ritual, it's a daily act that wires a child's brain for language, strengthens bonds with caregivers, and sparks a love of learning. Yet, headlines warn of trouble. A recent study reveals that only 41 percent of children between birth and age 4 are read to frequently, a dramatic drop from 64 percent in 2012.

For a guy who spends eight hours or more on my phone fairly often, the results have been good. According to Apple's screen-time reports, days in which I "brick" my phone correspond to anywhere from 25 percent to 50 percent less time on my phone. I've set Brick to withhold all social media apps and a few others, like the MLB app, so that I cannot wind myself up by checking Pittsburgh Pirates scores.

Unrestricted access to screens has resulted in students demonstrating reduced curiosity and perseverance, affecting their ability to engage with imaginative tasks and sustain attention.

A new global study, involving over 100,000 individuals across 59 countries, suggests that owning a smartphone before the age of 13 may mark a critical threshold in a child's cognitive and emotional development.

The World Health Organization study showed that 11% of minors believe their lives are significantly altered by devices, with 32% at risk of problematic usage.

New research shows that screen time is associated with depression and white matter brain changes in teens. Screen time isn't inherently bad, but how, when, and why it's used matters a lot.