In March, WhatsApp launched a new set of parent-supervised accounts for users under the age of 13. The growing concern over children’s screen and social media use is now translating into action, with governments and tech companies being pushed to put limits on how young users engage with these platforms. As part of a latest move, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has temporarily banned students through eighth grade from using generative AI tools during the upcoming academic year, alongside a new screen time policy.
In a historic $18 billion settlement that Meta reached with 48 US states in August, it agreed to strengthen its age estimates to keep kids under 13 off Facebook and Instagram, and teens in age-appropriate accounts, enact a hard limit of two hours a day for users under 18, block kids from the apps from midnight to 6 a.m., and hide “like” counts, among other changes. In France, President Emmanuel Macron told a group of high school students that phones and social networks were “not good” for them, urging kids to spend less time in front of screens, as the country’s ban on cell phones in high schools came into force.
An addicted child can’t. They will lie, sneak devices, or become distressed. The key question for parents is: ‘Can your child stop when asked, or does stopping trigger a disproportionate reaction?'” Protect sleep: Keep phones, tablets and gaming devices out of bedrooms at night Look deeper: Screen conflict can signal emotional, behavioural or developmental challenges. If use is uncontrollable or affects sleep, school, relationships or daily functioning, seek professional help “Parents shouldn’t dismiss every fight about screens as addiction, but they shouldn’t dismiss big behavioral shifts as the pre-teen or teenage phase either. Persistent sleep disruption, academic decline, social withdrawal, loss of control and aggressive reactions are noteworthy. Do not go straight for punishment, shame and fear messaging. Start with calm boundaries and open communication,” advises Dr Chandhok.
Screen addiction is compulsive and excessive usage of phones and screens that crowds out sleep, schoolwork, and relationships, according to Dr Shankar. She says, “A heavy user can still put the phone down for dinner, exams, or a friend’s birthday.
