The UK government has issued new guidelines advising parents to limit screen time for children under five to one hour a day and avoid exposure to artificial intelligence tools and social media. The guidance which Prime Minister Keir Starmer supports helps families develop healthy digital habits that benefit their children's early development.
Children under two should not use screens according to the guidance except when they participate in shared interactive activities. The screen time guidelines suggest that parents of children between two and five years old should restrict their children's screen time to less than one hour each day, which they should aim to reduce.
Young children should not view fast-paced content or social media videos or use AI-driven applications according to the rules.
The guidance advises families to keep screens off during their mealtime and their bedtime routines. Parents should guide their children toward activities which include reading and colouring and playing table games. The advisory panel found that watching content together and discussing it produces more value than using screens alone.
The advisory panel, which Rachel de Souza and Russell Viner lead, determined that people who watch screens excessively develop sleep problems and decreased physical activity levels, and they struggle to build real relationships.
The government plans to implement a social media ban which would prevent users under 16 from accessing platforms, and they will also restrict smartphone usage across all schools. Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott and other critics assert that digital platforms require stronger measures for their more extensive negative effects which need to be addressed.