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of young minds at a time when surveys courage breaks, such as YouTube’s default for a Commercial Free-Childhood, an
show children are spending increasing autoplay feature, are a frequent source advocacy group based in Boston, report-
amounts of time watching smartphones of complaint among consumer advo- edly said. Screen time, he noted, is “not
and other mobile devices. Ninety-five cates who say technology companies essential to learning, and it’s not effective
percent of families with children under are encouraging compulsive behavior at teaching.”
the age of 8 have smartphones, according by children who lack adult self-control. The WHO’s rules track loosely with
to the nonprofit organization Common (YouTube has long said its service is not those of other public health groups in the
Sense Media, and 42 percent of children intended for those under 13, but sur- United States and elsewhere, which typi-
under 8 have access to their own tablet veys show it is popular among younger cally have urged limited screen time and
device. children.) copious personal interaction and sleep
Experts in child development say the The announcement by the WHO, for preschoolers. The American Academy
acquisition of language and social skills, the public health agency of the United of Pediatrics’ guidelines make an excep-
typically by interacting with parents and Nations, gave international heft to tion to allow video chatting for children
others, are among the most important the burgeoning push for limiting the under 18 months and suggest that those
cognitive tasks of childhood. “Achieving amount of time children spend in front closer to 2 might benefit from occasional
health for all means doing what is best of screens when access to mobile de- viewing of educational videos. Overall,
for health right from the beginning of vices is growing sharply worldwide. the group said parents should “prioritize
people’s lives,” WHO Director-General Smartphones, first popularized with creative, unplugged play time for infants
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a and toddlers.”
statement. “Early childhood is a period Although there is widespread agree-
of rapid development and a time when Ninety-five per cent ment among scientists and physicians
family lifestyle patterns can be adapted about the risks of excessive screen time
to boost health gains.” of families with for children, many lament the limitations
The guidelines, like those of other of the studies that exist. Long-term con-
public health groups that have weighed children under the age sequences can be hard to measure, and
such issues in recent years, also seek to of 8 have smartphones, ethical concerns prevent experiments in
provide clear rules for the messy reali- which, for example, one group of infants
ties of parenting, when a fussy baby may according to the watches two hours of videos per day
be soothed most easily by a video of a non-profit organisation while a second group plays outside or
nursery rhyme, or a grandmother three chats with parents, the Washington Post
states away may be able to engage with a Common Sense Media, report pointed out.
toddler only over Skype. and 42 per cent of There also is debate over whether all
This disjuncture means that strict screen time is created equal. Is a video of
rules sometimes generate more guilt kids under 8 have other children unboxing toys better or
than useful corrections in parenting access to their own worse than a FaceTime chat with a trave-
decisions, according to pediatricians ling parent? Are interactive games better
and researchers who have studied tablet device than just passively watching shows?
the issue. Research on older children has asso-
“It induces a real conflict,” Univer- ciated screen time with behavioral and
sity of Michigan pediatrician Jenny Apple’s introduction of the iPhone in development issues, but research on ba-
Radesky, author of screen-time guide- 2007, were once mainly found in afflu- bies and toddlers is more inconclusive.
lines for the American Academy of ent countries such as the United States. One study published in JAMA Pediatrics
Pediatrics in 2016, was quoted as say- But their numbers now measure in the in January found that screen time could
ing by Washing Post. “The more guide- billions and, along with other mobile delay toddlers’ language and sociabil-
lines we give, it just seems like there’s devices, are the main portal to the Inter- ity skills. Another study published this
going to be more of a mismatch between net for much of the world. month in Pediatrics found that parents
what experts say … and what it feels like to YouTube alone has a global audience interacted with, and spoke to, their tod-
be a parent in the real world every day.” exceeding 2 billion people, fueling calls dlers more when reading print books
Radesky said Silicon Valley, which among consumer advocates for meas- than when they read electronic books
over the past year has introduced a ures to curb the exposure of children as to their children. Scientific consensus is
number of tools to help parents limit scientists continue to study the effect beginning to emerge from such research
children’s screen time, could go further of screens on brain development. “It’s and from the observed experiences of
by improving those tools and designing extraordinarily important that someone psychologists, pediatricians and parents.
services in ways less likely to encourage with the authority and reach of the WHO
heavy use by children. Features that dis- is saying this,” Josh Golin of the Campaign letters@tehelka.com

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