Sweden recommends that parents should not let children use screens before the age of 2.

In a move to ensure children's health and comprehensive development, the Swedish public health agency has officially announced new regulations on screen time.

Accordingly, children aged 2-5 should only be exposed to screens for a maximum of 1 hour per day, while children aged 6-12 and 13-18 are limited to 2 hours and 3 hours, respectively. This is the first time Sweden has issued such specific guidelines, aiming to help parents adjust their children's electronic device usage habits scientifically.

The Swedish Public Health Agency also suggests that instead of simply setting limits, explore the digital world with your children in a positive way. Watch interesting videos, play useful games and discuss what they have learned. At the same time, help your children establish reasonable habits of using electronic devices, balancing online and offline time. This will not only help your children develop digital skills but also strengthen family relationships.

It is alarming to know that on average, Swedish children aged 9 to 12 spend up to 4 hours a day online and those aged 17 to 18 spend more than 7 hours a day. This is far more than the new limit that the government has just introduced. This new regulation is like a wake-up call, helping young people to balance the virtual world with real life.

Regarding this issue, Swedish Minister of Social Affairs and Public Health Jakob Forssmed emphasized: “We have unintentionally allowed the virtual world to invade our real lives too much. Screens and applications have “robbed” our precious time, making us forget about more important things for a healthy life. Studies have clearly shown that overuse of electronic devices can have negative effects on mental health, such as sleep problems and depression.”

“These age-appropriate recommendations act as a compass to help children, adolescents and parents navigate their use of electronic devices, so that we can work together to develop healthier and more responsible screen-use habits,” added Minister Jakob Forssmed.

To ensure a good and deep sleep, experts recommend that children should not be exposed to screens for at least one hour before going to bed and absolutely should not have electronic devices in the bedroom.

“Children’s health is seriously threatened by the profits of technology companies. These guidelines not only provide knowledge for both adults and children, but also inspire and suggest effective approaches to confront this problem,” warned Minister Forssmed.

Mr Forssmed added that there were now “detailed and easy-to-understand recommendations” that could help start important conversations about time spent online, online experiences and potential risks. “We need to have frank and timely conversations to protect children’s future,” he stressed.

Speaking about this issue, Ms. Helena Frielingsdorf, an investigator at the Swedish Public Health Agency, emphasized that parents play a very important role in shaping children's screen usage habits. She said: "Parents are good role models for their children. How we use our phones or computers will directly affect children's behavior."

After a three-month scientific study initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron, researchers have warned that children under the age of three should not be exposed to screens including televisions and that the use of mobile phones should be banned for children under the age of 11. This is an important recommendation made by the French government to protect the health and comprehensive development of children.

In a bid to create a healthier and more productive learning environment, France is testing a new initiative that will ban students under 15 from bringing mobile phones into schools. If the experiment proves successful, a “digital break” could be introduced nationwide from January, helping students focus on their studies.

Based on growing scientific evidence of the harmful effects of excessive smartphone use on children, the Swedish government has made the bold decision to study the possibility of banning smartphone use in primary schools.

The decision aims to create a healthy learning environment that helps students develop comprehensively and minimize problems such as phone addiction, lack of concentration and related health problems.