The cabinet has drawn up advice for screen time, and guidelines for the use of social media and smartphones for children.
Cabinet advises on use smartphones young people
For children up to 2 years old, the government does not recommend a screen time at all and for children from 2 to 3 years a maximum of half an hour a day. The complete overview looks like this:
- 0-2 years: no screen time
- 2-4: Maximum half an hour a day
- 4-8: Maximum 1 hour a day
- 8-10: Maximum 1.5 hours a day
- 10-12 years: Maximum 2 hours a day
- 12-plus: Maximum 3 hours a day
According to the government, it is also important that the bedroom and the eating moments are screen -free. Moreover, parents should limit their own screen time in the presence of their children, because they will copy the behavior differently.
20-20-2 rule
Parents are also advised to use the so-called 20-20-2 rule. That means that when children have used a screen for 20 minutes, they have to look in the distance for 20 seconds and then play outside for 2 hours. This should help prevent eye disease such as myopia.
In addition, it is important what the children look with, with whom and why. According to the cabinet, the content on smartphones and other devices must join the child’s world, parents must be involved and children should not be dependent on a screen to enjoy themselves.
Social media age guideline
The guidelines for the use of social media and smartphones of the cabinet already leaked yesterday. For social media such as Tiktok and Instagram, the government advises a minimum age of 15 years. From high school (around 12 years old) they would have to use chat apps such as WhatsApp and Signal. The idea here is that they first learn to communicate and only then get to know social media.
Social media are also more addictive than chat apps. Functions such as being able to scroll through, notifications and likes are even specially designed to extend the useful life. They therefore increase the risk of addiction. Experts And parents are also concerned about the social-emotional development of children. Studies show, among other things, that there is a connection between intensive smartphone use and depression.
The government’s guidelines for the use of smartphones are not laid down in a law. They are just advice that people can or may not follow.
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